Naruto: The End Of Solitude
by Tiger5913
Summary: Updated: Part Four: Scarlet Love. Completed! A few years after Gaara and Matsuri first became teacher and student, their relationship slowly began to change... ! GaaMatsu, Gaara x Matsuri, mild NaruHina, one year post timeskip !
1. Heartfelt Desire

2/13/08

Disclaimer: the characters in this fic such as Gaara, Matsuri, etc. don't belong to me, although if they did, then they would fall in love and get rid of their loneliness by being together. ...Gaara needs love, damn it!

Dedication: God, my parents, my fans, Masashi Kishimoto for creating the Naruto series and giving us these colorful characters, and especially to my beloved friends, especially VGuyver, Andrew Glasco, Musashi Sanada, Francisco, Ariescelestial, and all of you other wonderful readers!!

Special dedication to: Nakoudo Byakugan for being an awesome Gaara in our RP, a very patient friend, and also for our shared love of GaaMatsu.

**Naruto: The End Of Solitude**

**Part One: Heartfelt Desire**

**By Tiger5913**

One minute she was defending herself against a slew of close-range attacks whipping through the air right toward her, and then seconds later, she felt the warm sand pressing into her back as a lean body lay on top of her.

Her dark eyes widened in a bit of shock, mirroring the expression of surprise on the face hovering slightly above her, and the girl thought it was probably best to just laugh off the accidental collision. But the light giggle of embarrassment died in her throat at the burning intensity of his gaze; although the redhead said nothing to convey his thoughts, he looked so serious that she wanted to ask why… She parted her lips to utter the question, but then all of a sudden, he swiftly swooped down to cover her lips with his, while she heard a familiar rustling noise that indicated her sensei was using his special ability. Right before her twin lids slid to a full close, she caught a glimpse of sand rising up along the sides, and as her attention was averted, the tiny grains continued moving until they met together at the top, forming a dome of concealment.

The petite brunette made a small noise of surprise, since she had not thought that a training session with her exclusive partner would ever be interrupted like this, but after a few seconds, she relaxed into the tentative kiss. His hands were resting upon her shoulders, gripping her with gentle firmness while she lied still underneath him, temporarily stunned until she regained her senses and reached up to hold onto his arms, taking comfort in his presence. He jolted slightly at the contact, and she had forgotten for a moment that he was unused to being touched, but his tension soon left, to her silent relief – his mild reaction showed he was indeed changing that aspect of himself. Strands of her dark brown hair softly trickled along his cheek as the two kissed, lips moving over each other with timid inexperience, guided by pure instincts and caught in the heat of their encounter, while short breaths and gasps drifted into the warm air.

They broke apart a short period later, his face lingering very close to hers, and the girl exhaled shakily, her nerves still tingling from the effects of their kiss in conjunction with her heart frantically racing at their near proximity.

His pale turquoise eyes were alit with a rare show of emotion, one that she could not clearly identify, and his expression was serene when he began to lean back down to repeat the pleasant gesture, but just then, a muffled shout ensued, "Gaara!"

The red-haired young man lifted his head at the sound of his name, and glanced down to share a quick look of understanding with his student; upon receiving her agreement, he calmly rose and waited for her to straighten herself up as well.

At his will, the protective sand dome collapsed around them, revealing the two companions to the blonde kunoichi that had just arrived to the secluded area, and interestingly enough, she seemed to think nothing was out of the ordinary. "There you are. You've got a meeting to go to, Gaara. The council just called a session on short notice. Sorry, Matsuri, but you'll have to continue the training later."

"I will be there." He answered nonchalantly, and then nodded to indicate that he would soon be on his way; after his elder sister left to head back into the village, he turned to the bole-haired girl and remarked with mild reluctance in his voice, "I need to leave for now, Matsuri."

"That's okay, Gaara-sensei," she replied softly, and had a diminutive smile gracing her lips as she turned her gaze toward the direction of the Kazekage's tall, towering building, knowing full-well where his main responsibilities lay: in protecting all of Suna. "Um… maybe I'll see you tomorrow?"

To her pleasant surprise, Gaara responded by shaking his head slightly, and suggested instead, "I could come to your house tonight, and we can eat together. That is, if you want to."

Her eyes brightened at his invitation, and the girl tried not to seem overly eager as she nodded in hearty agreement; he was usually so busy with leadership tasks that she had almost grown accustomed to his constant absence.

His response was a faint, tentative smile that she was beginning to familiarize herself with, and then he averted his attention to the village, walking into the quietly bustling sandy environment as he headed toward his office.

Matsuri watched her sparring partner leave with a sense of mild sadness, but the thought of their outing that night was enough to lift up her spirits and make her feel excited in anticipation, having something to look forward to. She returned to her training alone this time, swinging around her preferred weapon, the rope dart, with graceful loops over her head, and when she flung the end part toward a target, the sharp blade sank into its mark. What a far cry that was from the very first time she wielded it; back then, the slim brunette had been deathly afraid of weapons, and her hands shook so much with little effort, causing her clumsy attempts to go way off-track. It was not until she learned that those tools could be more than mere instruments of pain and loss, that she was finally able to handle the rope dart with some skill, and she slowly began to build her confidence in using the weapon.

After training under Gaara's expertise in fighting for almost four years, she had learned so much from him and now knew plenty of skills to hold her own, certainly enough to fend off numerous enemy attacks. He had practiced her a small amount of taijutsu techniques with her as well, deeming them beneficial for his own knowledge after the sand demon was forcibly extracted from his body, causing a need for additional defensive tactics. Whenever time permitted, the two would spend hours training, utilizing close-range, hand-to-hand combat with each other, both using kunai knives as weapons since those were the most common amongst the majority of ninjas. To repay him for all the time and effort he spent on her, Matsuri helped her sensei regain and stabilize his former ability to manipulate the sand with ease, because his control was weakened from the absence of Shukaku's innate influence, but the loss in affinity had been temporary.

During their first few sessions of aiding his recovery, the sand that rose to protect him was considerably flimsy compared to before, and he had to use more of his charka and concentration to mold the shield stronger, commanding it to move at his will. He still carried around the same large gourd that held his personal chakra-infused sand in it, and through diligent effort, he was able to maintain his unique power over the abundant tiny grains that came at his wordless call. Before long, the sand was rapidly rising and forming a protective barrier around his lean form, preventing the sharp end of her rope dart from touching him, unable to penetrate his shield, and Matsuri truly felt sorry for whomever dared to be his antagonistic opponent. Although despite the common belief that Gaara was a dangerous and lethal weapon to fear and scorn, he had never harmed her intentionally – her own keen sense of clumsiness caused her to suffer injuries a couple of times, but those were certainly not his fault.

Truthfully, Matsuri felt somewhat disgusted with the people that still cast a wary, doubtful eye upon Suna's young and dedicated Kazekage whenever he left to visit other villages for purely diplomatic purposes. If she did not have a mission at the time, she would cheerfully, almost insistently, volunteer to accompany their much-cherished leader as one of his escorting guards, for she liked to constantly stay by his side, even though she never said so out loud. But it made her angry and even a little uneasy to feel terror and resentment emitting from various surrounding bystanders, when Gaara and his group of protectors walked through a foreign land to visit the corresponding leader of the place. Matsuri was not ignorant of all the frightening stories that depicted her sensei as a cruel, selfish, and ruthless killer from a few years past, but she wholeheartedly believed that he had changed, and become a completely different person.

A while back, she remembered meeting a ninja from the Leaf Village named Naruto Uzumaki, who had fiercely defended Gaara by fighting Seimei, a demented man that was revived due to a dream of acquiring great power. It was during that very same incident she witnessed her sensei using his sand not as a tool for harm, but as a shield to protect his blond ally from a deadly attack, and the girl realized then that weapons could actually preserve life, depending on the wielder. After that occurrence, she began to slowly discard her fear of weapons, and she fervently wished that the rest of Suna had been there to see the fight, so they would have known of the redhead's noble, selfless deed firsthand. When it was all over, before the quartet had left to return to the Sand Village, Matsuri gave a message to one of the Leaf shinobi, politely asking him to express her gratitude to Naruto, and to inform that she would continue to train under Gaara.

Remaining within the same wide-open space, the girl practiced vigorously for another hour – her sensei might have had the advantage over her in ninjutsu, and maybe even genjutsu, but she was determined to eventually be able to beat him at taijutsu! When the afternoon sun had began to descend behind the mountains over the horizon in obvious indication that dusk was approaching, Matsuri decided to call it quits for the day and relaxed her stance, releasing a pleased sigh. After gathering all her tools together, the bole-haired Chunin headed into the main street of the desert village with a bright smile on her face, idly waving to the people that she knew as she walked toward her home. When her parents passed away a few years ago, they left her the house, a small and cozy place designed for a loving family of three, where she lived all her life, but now, with them gone, there was only one sole inhabitant remaining.

Not to say Matsuri never considered the thought of moving to another place, but there were too many happy and pleasant memories within the house that made her feel reluctant to just pick up her belongings and leave. When she finally got over her fear of weapons, she was able to find peace inside herself and truly cope with the loneliness that resulted from the loss of her dearly loved parents, although of course, she never stopped missing them. It was because of their untimely death that she decided to become a ninja in the first place, from the desire to learn how to protect the people that she cared about, even if it meant she had to wield the very same entity that took her parents away. But thanks to Naruto and her own sensei, Matsuri had been able to learn an important aspect about weapons; she still preferred to use the non-lethal ones, out of a desire to not hurt others too badly, despite being on opposing sides.

The young brunette unlocked the door and entered her home with a small smile of relief, feeling an overwhelming need for a hot bath to soothe her tense muscles from the recent session of arduous training. Moments later, she had shed her clothes, and was comfortably soaking in the tub with her eyes closed as she allowed her mind to wander, her thoughts immediately going to her red-haired friend, which caused her cheeks to blush a light shade of pink. Matsuri could not pinpoint exactly when it happened, but somewhere along the course of their tight bond, the two had become very important to each other, more than just teacher and student, and yet, their relationship was rather ambiguous at present. They were barely acquainted when she first started training to be a ninja, but over time, they had grown closer and closer, especially after the terrifying incident in which Gaara was kidnapped and eventually, killed.

He made sure that everyone in Suna knew of Elder Chiyo's selfless sacrifice that brought him back to life, and Matsuri was certainly very grateful to her, for the virtuous act had brought hope and joy to all the people of the Sand Village. After his blessed revival, no one was afraid of Gaara any longer, and not simply because Shukaku had been removed from him, but due to the entire village watching and witnessing his diligent efforts to protect everyone with every last ounce of his strength. Like the rest of the spectators, Matsuri had been outside that night when a man wearing dark robes flew into the peaceful setting on a large, strange-looking bird, his aura reeking of malicious intent as he immediately provoked a fight with their Kazekage. The Sand ninjas and innocent citizens were all awestruck and impressed by the sight of their esteemed, resilient leader soaring into the air on a path of slick sand as he fought the stranger and defended Suna from harm.

Unfortunately, the intruder had found some sneaky way to penetrate the sand wielder's sturdy shield of defense, and she could only gasp in shock when a series of loud booms began to explode, disrupting the serene night sky. Matsuri watched as the protective sphere of sand slowly crumbled away to reveal her sensei's limp body, and soon, his unconscious form was rapidly falling toward the ground, but then got intercepted by the stranger swooping in with his bird. She cried out in frustration at her own helpless and sank to the floor with devastation when the village's attacking units failed to stop the man from making it to the exit, taking their Kazekage away in the wake of their despair. Immediately after their abrupt departure, Matsuri threw on her guard patrol attire and ran outside into the hectic commotion, trying to push herself through the crowd in order to dash toward the front entrance, intending to pursue Gaara's malicious opponent.

Amidst the wide panic, a second calamitous explosion prevented people from leaving Suna, due to the amount of rocks and large debris that blocked the way; despite her insistent plea and passionate determination, the girl was not allowed to pass. The majority of the pursuit team that had been dispatched to follow the enemy now lay injured or dead amongst the rubble, all except for Kankuro, a talented puppeteer shinobi, who also happened to be the older brother of the Kazekage. Against the advice of his comrades and superiors alike, he had pressed on alone, and Matsuri desperately wished that she could have accompanied him rather than remain in Suna, doing absolutely nothing at all to help bring Gaara back. Instead of returning home to sleep, she spent the rest of the night helping the other guards remove the sharp and heavy stones one piece at a time, being careful as they hoped to uncover anyone else that had possibly survived the attack.

The next time she saw her sensei, he was laying on the ground with both eyes shut and his body completely motionless, and in that very moment, the girl felt tears blurring her vision, when suddenly, she noticed he began to stir ever-so-slightly. He awoke and steadily sat up shortly after, and by that time, hundreds of villagers from Suna had traveled all the way over to his location to see their Kazekage, and she quickly joined everyone in their loud cheers and thunderous applause of joy. She caught sight of the blatant shock in Gaara's widened turquoise eyes at the hearty reception that he was receiving, and she felt certain that finally, he knew how much the entire village admired, respected, and cared for him, very deeply. As the redhead was glancing around the crowd, his gaze met hers and locked on, where the two shared a private look as Matsuri smiled widely at him, feeling tremendously relieved that he was alive – because of Elder Chiyo, she had not lost Gaara.

That very night, there was a huge celebration in Suna, accompanied with a continuous loud uproar down the main street as each villager individually wanted to speak to or vigorously shake the hand of their Kazekage in dual gratitude and happiness. The entire time, Matsuri had stayed by his side, along with his older brother and sister – none of them were willing to let him be alone after what had just happened, and even only allowed him brief bathroom breaks as they stood right outside. A couple of hours into the festivities, Gaara admitted to feeling rather tired, and the slim brunette realized that for the first time in fifteen years, this was the end to his self-induced insomnia, as he could finally sleep with the absence of Shukaku from his body. His siblings exchanged a wordless look between them, and then after several long moments, consented to leaving him alone to rest in his room; Kankuro jokingly remarked that the four of them were too big to fit in one bed, to which Temari responded by smacking the back of his head.

Together, the quartet walked over to the house that the trio of siblings shared and at the door, the blonde wind-user and the puppet master soon departed with the intentions of patrolling once around the outskirts of Suna to protect their brother. Matsuri was about to volunteer to go with them and help, but they promptly took off before even giving her a chance to speak, although for some reason, Temari had briefly glanced back to give the younger girl a mysterious, indecipherable smile. Left alone with Gaara, the brunette blushed slightly and snuck a peek toward him out of the corner of her eye, only to discover that he was already looking at her, albeit his expression calm and nonchalant as usual, belying his intense gaze. Now that they were in private, Matsuri was practically bursting things to say to him, but she fought to stay quiet as she did not want to start babbling and look foolish, so she merely mumbled good night and turned in preparation to leave him to his much-deserved rest.

"Matsuri."

The surprised Chunin paused in her step at hearing him utter her name, and she pivoted to face the redhead with anticipation on her face, and replied softly, her tone polite and a tad more formal than usual from her timidity, "Yes, Gaara-sensei?"

A small smile had spread over his lips, startling the girl with its presence even as he told her in his smooth, deep voice, "You were there when I awoke. Thank you for your support."

Her dark eyes brightened at his appreciative words, and before she could help herself, she had launched forward right at him and enveloped her shocked sensei in a tight hug as thin trickles of tears slowly slid down her cheeks.

She felt his body jolt in surprise at her action, his initial resistance to the close contact, but for this instance, a special moment in which she needed to express herself, Matsuri persisted and held on; eventually, his stiff profile relaxed.

"G-Gaara-sensei… I'm so happy you're back…" she murmured softly next to his ear as he remained still; she was simply relieved that he had not pushed her back after he regained his regular mindset, "I-… Everyone in Suna missed you, but we never lost hope… I… W-we don't want you to go away like that, ever again…"

Silence stretched between them for a long while, seemingly endless, and once she finished having her say, Matsuri began to feel embarrassed about blurting out her relief in such a blatant manner, so she started to pull away, when all of a sudden, she felt strong arms encircling her form.

"I missed you as well." Gaara finally replied in a low tone, the volume of his voice barely audible as she was too stunned by his favorable reaction to her spontaneous hug to truly hear him, but eventually, the words registered in her mind.

That was the first time in all the years of their friendship that they had ever embraced each other, the girl recalled with a sweet smile touching her lips as she was brought to the present, warmth fluttering in her heart at the pleasant memory. With so many fond gems stored securely within the recesses of her mentality, she would have liked to stay in the tub and continue daydreaming a little longer, but one look outside the window told her that early evening was approaching, and she had to get ready – Gaara could arrive anytime soon. A small fire of excitement rose within her at the reminder, and Matsuri grinned happily as she drained the water and swiftly left the restroom, wrapped in a towel that reached mid-thigh, heading straight for her wardrobe of clothes. This would not be the first time she went out in public with only her red-haired sensei, but the young brunette wanted to look her best, because she was fully aware of the fact that the two were constantly stared at by other villagers, due to natural curiosity about their relationship.

The thought made her pause instantly, and she contemplated the concept for a moment… it was really no secret that the girl cared about Gaara very much, as she harbored feelings toward him that went beyond mere friendship. The pair had been constantly together in the past few months, and she never accepted any invitations to go out with other boys, while her sensei had consistently ignored the rather large group of girls that always cluttered around his office, claiming to be his devoted fans. Matsuri had to admit that she herself was part of the craze during the early stages of her own mad crush on Gaara, but she dropped it when she realized that he deemed the obsessive behavior to be immature and unworthy of his attention. After all, as the Kazekage of Suna, his primary concern was the safety and well-being of his citizens, and Matsuri deduced that he would want someone strong and selfless, willing to give her everything to help him protect the people of the Sand Village.

In spite of romance clearly not being on his list of priorities, the cheerful and optimistic brunette was still happy to be his number one – and only – student, maintaining a close bond with him as she learned how to improve her fighting skills so much more. There was distinct honor and esteem associated with her being Gaara's student, as she felt that others expected her to really excel at many areas when she was being taught by one of, if not THE, most powerful shinobi in their village. When the Suna version of a ninja academy, the concept borrowed from the Leaf Village, had first started, all of the students in the class either chosen to form a group with Temari or Kankuro as their teacher, except for Matsuri, who stepped toward the red-haired sand wielder and pleaded for his training. Everyone seemed surprised at her action, even Gaara himself, but he agreed to instruct her, and she felt rather lucky to have his complete and undivided attention, since it quickly became apparent that he was highly-skilled and experienced with battle techniques.

During the last three-and-a-half years under his tutelage, the determined girl grew extremely familiar with each component of her versatile rope dart, being able to wield it so comfortably, almost as if the weapon was actually a part of her own body. Like the other fresh young students, Matsuri started out as a kunoichi of the Genin level, but a little less than a year later, at the redhead's request, the two traveled to their neighboring ninja village of Konoha, where she took the Chunin exam. Each stage carried a different challenge, varying in difficulty and endurance, but through all her painstaking efforts, as well as the support of her sensei's presence and his siblings watching her in the crowds, she had passed. After a brief celebration that night with a few of Gaara's friends in the Leaf Village, Matsuri returned to Suna as a Chunin, and later, privately visited her parents' graves to tell them that she was on her way to truly learning how to protect others that were important to her.

Back then, Gaara was able to accompany her to the Chunin exam because he had not yet become the Kazekage, but the next time they were training alone, he revealed his intentions for that position to her, where she learned of his desire to work hard and prove himself to the village. Being around him so often, Matsuri herself saw a slow, but steady change in his personality compared to how he was when they first became acquainted; however, the rest of Suna did not get the same opportunity – or perhaps refused – to interact with him as frequently. It was not until Gaara rose to his current position of leadership that the other villagers began to stop fearing him, and after his revival at the hands of Elder Chiyo, everyone had respect and appreciation for the dedicated young man. Seeing the look on his face at their admiration made Matsuri feel very happy for him, and she thought it was great that finally, her sensei was accepted and loved by his people, the one thing that he wanted and strived to obtain all along.

The girl was brought back to the present with a soft, wistful smile gracing her lips, but it quickly faded when she suddenly heard a series of gentle, but crisp knocks resonating through her quiet little home – Gaara had arrived! And she was not ready yet! Throwing down the towel, Matsuri quickly grabbed a robe hanging on a nearby hook and tied the knot at her waist before nervously running a hand through her dark brown hair, and she stopped by the full-length mirror to make sure she looked presentable before going to the door. Despite being short on time, the anxious brunette made a conscious effort to calm herself down and not appear too frantic, although she was unable to prevent her heart from beating in an increasingly quickening pace. Though it felt like only a mere minute had passed by, Matsuri was startled out of her reverie when she realized that the knocking sound had stopped, and a small sense of panic hit her as she wondered if her sensei had possibly gotten fed up with waiting and just decided to leave.

Hoping to catch him before he was really gone, the girl forgot about her outer appearance and made a mad dash for the front door while calling out loudly, "Gaara-sensei! Don't go, please! I'm-ahhh!"

A short cry burst free from her lips when, in her rushed state, one of her feet snagged on a corner of the rug in the living room, causing her to trip and fall to the floor in a crumpled heap as a sharp jolt of pain shot sharply up her leg.

"Matsuri?" Her ears faintly acknowledged a rustling noise from beyond the threshold, and then she heard a slight sound of something sliding; seconds later, her door was thrust open with a whoosh, sending a chilly breeze into her house.

"Mmm… G-Gaara-sensei…?" Matsuri moaned softly in discomfort as she slowly raised herself up to sitting position, and then gingerly lifted her head to meet the pale turquoise eyes of her red-haired sensei, who was presently kneeling down right in front of her.

"Are you all right?" He asked her without preamble, his husky voice soothing her frazzled nerves, somehow managing to subdue her rising embarrassment, and then she realized that his normally-calm expression appeared to show a bit of concern.

"Y-yes…" she murmured in response, still feeling quite ashamed about her own self-induced clumsiness, and when she tried to apply pressure on the heels of her feet to stand, she gasped from the vivid sensation of pain and collapsed back down on her behind.

Fighting off the frustration progressively building up inside her, Matsuri pressed her palms against the floor and once again attempted to rise, but two hands went to grasp her forearms, firmly halting the process as Gaara advised her sternly, "Don't get up."

The injured brunette opened her mouth to stubbornly insist that she was fine, but to her surprise, before she could even utter a single word, the sand wielder bent down and slid his arms under her body, lifting her up into the air with ease.

"Where?" He inquired mildly as he swiftly turned his head, allowing his eyes to scan the surroundings within the small vicinity.

"Um… the couch is fine," she suggested in a submissive tone, trying not to aggravate him any further.

The lean redhead nodded once in response, and then he crossed the short distance to cautiously set her amongst the pliable cushions, stepping back afterward to gaze at the girl as he questioned calmly, "What happened, Matsuri?"

"Well, I… I was trying to get to the door as quickly as I could. I thought you left without me, Gaara-sensei," she admittedly quietly, ducking her head to hide the faint shade of pink dotting her pale cheeks.

With an edge of worry in his voice, Gaara admonished firmly, "Don't worry about me. I wouldn't do that. Next time, I want you to remember not to rush. I would rather wait than have you hurt yourself."

"Okay," Matsuri agreed, adjusting herself into a more comfortable position on the couch, when just then, her dark eyes widened a little as a thought suddenly occurred to her and she looked up to ask, "Wait… how did you get in here? You don't have a key…"

He seemed amused by her reasonable inquiry, and casually crossed his arms over his chest as his light irises betrayed a rare gleam of mild pleasure that dwelled within them. "Hm. So you think I can't get past a locked door, eh?"

She blushed in meek embarrassment and resisted the urge to cover her face as she sneak a quick look at the large gourd that hung on his back; so that was the sliding noise she had heard right before the door opened…

"Matsuri. Do you need anything for your leg?"

"No, I'm all right. Thanks," the energetic brunette flashed him a small smile that twinkled with her usual sweet nature, until she realized in a momentary lapse of minor sadness, "Oh, but… we can't go out now… Um, Gaara-sensei, you can leave if you want to eat… You don't have to be hungry because of me."

After giving her a brief once-over, the intensity of his gaze seeming to inspect her form in a fairly thorough manner, Gaara exhaled evenly and decided, "I will bring food back for both of us. Stay here and don't move. Understand?"

"Yes, sensei!" She replied heartily and saluted him in a show of respect, while her lips spread wider to reveal a teasing grin; even though she felt certain that the sprain would not last long, she knew her sensei was just concerned about her.

A hint of placid, passive joy flickered in his pale turquoise eyes at her playful gesture, and then without another word, the red-haired young man turned around and as he walked out of the house, a thin trail of sand closed the door behind him.

_Gaara-sensei… thank you._ Matsuri murmured silently to his retreating form, a sliver of longing lingering upon her expression as she watched him leave; when he was gone, she sighed a bit wistfully and settled back against the couch to rest while she idly waited for his return.

**To Be Continued…**

**Author's Note: **All right, here it is, my first official _exclusive_ Gaara and Matsuri story. And it's got multiple parts! XD By the way, for any of you that are curious about the timeline, this story takes place about one year after the time-skip, so Gaara is 16 and Matsuri is 15. Eek, as always, I really hope that I didn't write anyone too out of character. Readers, I'm counting on you to let me know if I made any gross mistakes. (I'm particularly paranoid about writing Gaara – he is rather complex.) Of course, I would adore and appreciate any feedback that you all can give me, so please don't forget to leave a review. )

Oh, and I also want to mention that the rating of this story will eventually go up… There will be mature content in later parts. Just an FYI for those of you that might not feel comfortable with that kind of material. Or maybe some of you are actually looking forward to it, teehee.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Spread the GaaMatsu love!

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


	2. Silent Agony

**Part Two: Silent Agony**

Even after being the Kazekage of the Sand Village for over two years, the devoted young man still had not gotten used to receiving so much positive attention and blatant admiration from the majority of his people.

For far too many years, Gaara had been shunned by everyone that he knew, including members of his own family, and his only friend, his one true confident, his maternal uncle Yashamaru, had betrayed him after spewing countless lies. The demon container was just a child at the time, but that did not stop his father from wanting him dead, despite the fact that it was _his_ idea to place the malevolent sand spirit into his innocent newborn son and sacrifice his wife in the process. Regardless, Gaara worked hard to reach the position of leadership, and since the very first day, he silently vowed to protect Suna and its inhabitants with every last ounce of his strength, even if it meant giving up his life for their sake. Indeed, he had been killed a year ago when Akatsuki, a powerful group of S-class ninjas, arranged for his kidnapping and immobilized him in their collective power while they extracted Shukaku from his body over a slow, agonizing period of time.

Though not frequently, Gaara contemplated how he had felt during the last moments of his life, knowing full well that he was going to die, and he wondered if he ever made an impact on someone else, if his existence had any meaning. He felt genuine regret for the numerous lives he had slain and brutally taken away when he was isolated in the hateful, searing private hell within his own mind, his body tingling with self-loathing as he was cursed by merely being alive. After meeting a certain blond ninja from the Leaf Village, Gaara realized that he was not alone in his pain, and he could change himself to attain a better life, one with true value and virtuous significance to validate his reason for existing. The sins of his father did not have to heavily weigh down upon his shoulders, and if the young sand wielder could show a new, different side of himself to all his neighbors and fellow comrades, then surely, they would eventually stop hating and fearing him.

Indeed, at long last, his greatest dream had been realized, Gaara mused with a diminutive sigh as he tranquilly walked down along the main street of the village and continuously saw people waving and bowing to him in respect. He knew that they genuinely accepted him, and at present, admired the very power that was once feared by many, which the sand wielder felt pleased to keep, especially since he would no longer have to fear Shukaku's influence bearing upon his mind. With a faint, humble smile on his face, Gaara placidly nodded his acknowledgement at the villagers that greeted him, but he did not stop or even slow his pace to make any conversation, as he wanted to return to Matsuri very soon. She was a thoroughly unique girl, his student, the only one that he had ever taken in and trained by his own hand, since the other young aspiring Genin feared him during the beginning, when Suna's ninja academy first started.

It was a while before some of her classmates grew brave enough to ask him to be their teacher as well, but by that time, Gaara had become the Kazekage, and with his new responsibilities, he could not have any additional students.

Over the last couple of years, the lean redhead had allowed himself to slowly begin feeling emotions again, to forge friendships with a few people, and he got closer to his brother and sister as well, but one relationship continued to puzzle him: Matsuri. She was his student and a close friend, but she meant more to him than countless others, as he felt soothed with her mere presence, and was admittedly entranced by the special smile that she reserved for only his eyes when they were alone. While Gaara entrusted his older siblings with nearly everything, and sincerely valued the strong bond of family between them, he seemed to feel something deeply for Matsuri that confused him in a foreign, unfamiliar nature the more he thought about it. He was vaguely aware of the following girls that professed to cherish and love him on practically a daily basis, but the red-haired young man had somehow sensed that their infatuation was superficial, and as such, he hardly paid them any attention.

Matsuri, however, she was different; she befriended him when everyone else was stricken with fear or felt disgusted in his presence, and even after the time she had gotten kidnapped on his account, she still insisted on being his student. Outside of that formality, she consistently accompanied him to the few social events that arose over the last couple of years – in spite of the teasing that they both had to occasionally endure from Kankuro, his impish older brother. Whenever that happened, however, Gaara would firmly insist that their relationship was purely platonic, although he had noticed once or twice that the bole-haired girl looked away as he relayed their status in a definitive tone, leaving no room for argument. Due to his lack of experience on the subject, he was genuinely unaware of the possibility that his feelings for her could run deeper than mere friendship, until after a visit he made to the neighboring village of Konoha, where he had met and spoke with a good friend of his.

Six months ago, Gaara had traveled to the Leaf Village to discuss diplomatic matters of their alliance with the Lady Hokage, Tsunade, and just as their meeting drew to an end, a certain hyperactive blond ninja burst into her office.

"Hey, Granny Tsunade! Man, that was an easy mission! We're already back with the scroll from-hey! Gaara! What're you doing here?"

At the first sound of the familiar voice, the lean redhead had stood up from his seat, and after the newcomer made his usual loud and flashy entrance, he walked over to acknowledge his friend's arrival with a faint smile and a casual handshake. "Naruto. It is good to see you again. I came to Konoha to work out a trade between our villages."

True to his trademark boisterous nature, Naruto Uzumaki flashed a wide grin of hearty enthusiasm in response as he jovially returned the greeting, "Heh, yeah, it's been a while, huh? Hey, you wanna go get some ramen after you're done talking to Granny Tsunade?"

"Naruto, how many times have I told you not to call me that?" The blonde Hokage quipped sternly to the nervy boy, although there was a sliver of fondness in her voice as she took the retrieved scroll from his extended hand and declared his mission complete – he and the other teammates involved were free to enjoy the afternoon.

After their short exchange, Gaara calmly spoke up and accepted the social invitation; the Ichiraku restaurant was rather well-known for their excellent ramen, and the guards that came with him to Konoha would certainly enjoy a little extra time to themselves.

"Okay!" Naruto confirmed zealously, and then bidding a hasty farewell to the powerful kunoichi that served as the Leaf Village's esteemed leader, he soon left her office while calling over his shoulder, "You know where Ichiraku is! I'll go there right now and wait for ya!"

The red-haired Kazekage chuckled lightly before turning his attention back to Tsunade, who apologized for the interruption with a brief sigh of exasperation, but he dismissed the matter without any hint of irritation, since their meeting was just about over anyway. Ten minutes later, the sand wielder was calmly walking down one of the bustling, lively streets of Konoha, still wearing his formal white robes that revealed his status as he headed toward the ramen restaurant, although he held the hat in one free hand. Some of the surrounding bystanders intentionally slowed their pace to get a good look at their visitor, and Gaara tried his best to appear neutral and non-threatening, as he was truly uncertain of the extent of his reputation in villages outside of his own. Many citizens from all over the different lands had watched his match against Sasuke Uchiha in the final rounds of the Chunin exam, but that was several years ago, and only a small amount of people got to see Shukaku rise to the surface.

But those days were in the past, and in order to heal the wounds from long ago, Gaara had to put the unpleasant incidents behind him and start anew; due to Naruto's help, he was able to see the light, and have a second chance to change his life.

Speaking of the loud and boastful blond ninja, Gaara arrived at the Ichiraku ramen shop to see him talking to a girl with dark blue hair and eyes of an unusually white color… and he faintly recalled having seen her before. _She looks familiar._

"…So we're gonna meet here and catch up on things, and then you and me can go out, okay, Hinata?" Naruto was saying to her as the steam from his fresh bowl of ramen steadily rose upward to mingle with the warm afternoon air.

"I-I'll wait for you at the bookstore, Naruto," the passive girl called Hinata replied with a shy little smile, and then her light lavender eyes widened a bit when she realized the presence of the tall redhead quietly standing nearby. "O-oh! Naruto, your friend is here… G-good afternoon, Lord Kazekage."

She bowed her head in a show of respect, making Gaara feel slightly awkward – even though he understood why she performed the motion, it was sometimes strange to be at such a different level of rank compared to the majority of everyone else in his age range.

"You… don't have to do that." He insisted quietly, resisting the urge to flush at the polite, albeit unnecessary gesture; they were in a casual environment, after all, and he was certainly not the type of man to flaunt his position for attention, or to gain unfair advantage.

Hearing their brief exchange, Naruto immediately turned around and greeted the sand wielder with a cheeky grin as he exclaimed, "Hey, Gaara! That was fast! This is Hinata Hyuga, my girlfriend! You remember her, right? She helped us track down those bastards from the weapons village that took her your friend a couple of years ago!"

"Yes, I do remember." Gaara replied after the incident flickered in his mind, and he gave the timid kunoichi a faint smile, trying to appear friendly and assure her that they could communicate on an informal basis, especially since she was so well-acquainted with his friend. "Thank you for assisting us on the mission, Hinata."

"O-oh, you're welcome… I was happy I could help…" she responded modestly in a soft tone, and then she suggested with a quick glance up at the sky, "I-I should let you boys eat and talk… I'll be going to the bookstore."

"See you later, Hinata!" The energetic ninja asserted confidently, and he eagerly got up to punctuate their sweet farewell with a tight hug and a quick kiss on the lips, which made the girl blush a deep shade of red while her small frame wavered momentarily.

Gaara watched their interaction with avid curiosity, feeling an odd pang of envy and longing as he silently wondered if he himself could ever have that kind of relationship… but who would want to give him so much affection and selfless devotion? No one, perhaps.

"Sit down, Gaara!" Naruto told the pensive redhead after Hinata had left, and then he swiftly turned to the shop owner to call out another order.

The sand wielder nodded in agreement and took a seat next to his friend, briefly taking a moment to adjust his robes to ensure that the ends would not touch the ground, all the while inwardly wishing that he had brought along a casual outfit to change into, even for a short trip.

While they waited for the second order to be made, the boisterous blond let his bowl of ramen remain untouched and instead initiated in conversation, "You have a girlfriend yet, Gaara? Kankuro once told me there was a whole group of girls that had the hots for ya!"

The redhead calmly shook his head, hiding a faint grimace at the thought of the aforementioned overzealous girls that constantly vied for his attention. "No, I don't. I am… very busy with my responsibilities as the Kazekage. Whatever spare time I have, I spend it training with Matsuri."

"Matsuri? Uh, isn't she the girl that got kidnapped by the shinobi from the Takumi Village? She's your friend, right?"

"Yes." He answered in his usual nonchalant tone as a partial smile quirked at the corner of his lips when he was reminded of the first friend that he ever made in Suna, the polite and kind-hearted girl whom had not feared him even though she was afraid of weapons back then. "She has also been my student for the last three years. Her current rank is a Chunin. I'm preparing her for the Jonin level."

"Ah, so is she gonna come here to Konoha and take the Jonin exam?" Naruto immediately fired in question, his expression showing a fair amount of interest. "It's in a couple of months! …I think!"

"This year, no." Gaara admonished after a momentary pause, as he knew the extent of his student's abilities firsthand, and he refused to put her through a trying exam where she would be unable to advance without having a few more vital lessons instilled in her. "She is not ready yet. Matsuri needs to go on a few more B-rank missions first, but she is devoted to being a shinobi, and she works very hard. She will become a Jonin soon."

"Hey, me too!" The blond ninja exclaimed with enthusiastic optimism at the notion, his clear blue eyes flashing in a familiar flare of fiery determination. "I'm taking the Jonin exam this year, and I know I'm gonna pass! Believe it!"

"I'm sure you will." He agreed, smiling faintly in friendly assurance, and just then, his food arrived on the table, ending their conversation for the time being as both boys broke their respective pairs of wooden chopsticks and began to eat.

Silence fell between them, and for a while, the only sounds made were loud slurping noises from Naruto's eager inhalation of the food, while next to him, Gaara ate slowly and silently contemplated a thought that had arisen his friend's earlier words. From just the brief exchange between them, he could easily tell that the two Konoha shinobi cared deeply for each other, and then the way Hinata's light lavender eyes lit up with such joy at her boyfriend's gestures of affection… it was obvious how she felt. The red-haired young man had to admit that he was slightly envious of their close bond, even though he could have female companionship if he wanted it, but because a true, sincere connection was important to him, he had avoided being pursued and vice versa. Once in a while, his older brother complained that he was letting his popularity with the ladies go to waste, and helpfully suggested that he take up a few offers at the very least, but Gaara flat-out refused to take advantage of his position, not wanting to string along a hopeful girl.

With a scoff of clear disbelief, Kankuro had instigated that not all of the avid fans were so innocent as perceived on sight alone, and yet nevertheless, the noble redhead retained his decision, keeping the girls at bay by expressing indifference.

"Naruto." He suddenly spoke up just then in response to a matter that his mind was actively pondering about, although he felt unsure of how he could voice the question without making himself look foolish or terribly pathetic.

"Yeah? Oh man, this ramen really hits the spot-!"

"You… care for Hinata." This was stated matter-of-factly.

"Of course I do! She's great! She'll be my lady when I become Hokage, and we'll both take care of Konoha! Heh, just watch and you'll see; me and Hinata are an unstoppable team together!"

"Really." Gaara contemplated the words for a few moments, and then he sighed with mild frustration as he managed to work up enough nerve to ask in a tentative manner, "Do you… love her a different way than how you feel toward your other friends?"

"Huh?" Naruto halted in the middle of a bite at that question, and he turned to face the sand wielder with a bewildered look, but then after a minute or so, the meaning seemed to register in his mind as he remarked, "Uh, yeah, definitely. I love Sakura like a sister, and after Sasuke came back, we're like brothers again. I mean, all my friends are important to me, but Hinata's special!"

"…A precious person that you hold closely to your heart?" He mumbled under his breath without realizing it at first, distracted by the memory of his maternal uncle's words rising strongly within his mind… even now, he was still somewhat affected by the influence that Yashamaru had on him so long ago.

"Yeah, she sure is," the blond ninja nodded enthusiastically in agreement as a wide grin spread over his lips, and then after a brief pause, he asked with a tone that clearly indicated disbelief, "Hey, Gaara, are you sure you don't have a girlfriend? 'Cause it kinda sounds like you've got someone you care about."

"Maybe, but…" he glanced away, being careful with choosing his next words despite the fact that he trusted his friend, but he was finally only able to admit, "To be honest, I'm not sure right now."

"You know, if there's a girl you like, you should tell her," Naruto suggested with an unusually serious edge in his voice, and his cool blue eyes appearing rather somber and subdued. "If you don't say anything, she'll never know. It seems kinda scary at first, but it's better to do something than just staying quiet and being stuck by yourself all the time. I'd rather take that chance than be alone, that's for sure."

"Hmm." Gaara considered the advice and briefly closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling evenly as he mentally conjured up the sweet, smiling face of the girl that he felt the closest to, which happened to be his student, although he was unable to admit it out loud. "I don't think… That is, I wouldn't know what to say, Naruto. Hypothetically speaking."

"Eh, heh, heh… Yeah, I hear ya. That's the hard part," the boisterous blond mused thoughtfully, and his thin whiskers began to twitch slightly with the motion of his changing expression while he simultaneously tapped his chin.

"…Never mind." The sand wielder finally stated in a carefully controlled tone, not wanting to spend too much time on a subject that was just confusing him instead of providing clarity, the more he thought about it; he would have to find an answer on his own, somehow. "This matter is not a high priority for me."

The rest of their conversation that afternoon revolved around various other topics of interest, and then they parted when the meal ended, with Naruto leaving to meet his girlfriend, and Gaara deciding to head out of Konoha immediately in hopes of reaching Suna by nightfall.

"…Lord Kazekage? Your order is ready."

The pensive redhead snapped to attention at the sound of the shopkeeper's voice speaking to him in the present, and with a hasty nod of acknowledgement, he reached into his pocket while inquiring, "How much is the bill?"

"Oh, please, don't worry about it," the woman replied, a kind smile forming over her face as she declared, "We're honored that you enjoy our food here, Lord Kazekage."

"I have money." Gaara informed her quietly and presented several notes of currency, a slight frown of bewilderment marring his expression as he shifted uneasily at the sudden notion of receiving special treatment – again – merely due to his position of leadership.

"But we insist! Really, it's on the house," she dismissed the matter with a casual wave of her hand, and then encouraged generously, "Please, enjoy your meal, and be sure to come back soon!"

"All right…" he finally relented after she adamantly refused to take his money, and he was dimly aware of the light flush of embarrassment creeping up his cheeks as he told her, "Thank you."

"It's our pleasure, Lord Kazekage. Have a good night!"

Still feeling rather awkward from the incident, the sand wielder mildly bid her farewell, and then he quickly headed toward the house that he shared with his older brother to pick up an additional outfit of clothing to change into for later. Kankuro was apparently not at home by the silence and stillness of the small setting, and Temari had moved out to her own little apartment just a couple of months ago, after claiming that she needed womanly privacy from her two younger male siblings. Without wasting any time pondering about his brother's absence, Gaara swiftly went into his bedroom and retrieved casual attire, securely tucking the folded bundle under his arm as he stepped back outside and closed the front door behind him. He returned to Matsuri's house with the intention of staying over for the night to help her while she recovered, as he did not want the girl to strain herself when she had a sprained ankle, no matter how minor the injury seemed.

The red-haired young man entered her home quietly, just in case she was peacefully resting, and sure enough, he found Matsuri serenely dozing on the couch, right in the same spot where he had left her earlier. _Good. She didn't try to walk._

After gently setting down his gourd, he crossed the living room, strolling over into her kitchen, and just as he placed the bag of their food on the dining table, he heard his student murmuring in a soft, sleepy tone, "Gaara-sensei? Did you just come back…?"

"Yes." He answered evenly, and then silently wondered if he had awakened her by making too much noise; he set down his extra outfit upon a chair and walked back to the couch, standing behind it while he idly gazed upon the slender brunette. "How is your leg? Does it still hurt?"

She shook her head. "Nope, I'm okay. So… can I get up now?"

"Not yet. Be patient, Matsuri." Gaara instructed the girl, inserting as much firm authority into his voice as he could manage and still sound neutral. "Don't overexert yourself. I'm here to help you."

"But I didn't break any bones…" she began to protest, her dark ebony eyes gleaming from a sliver of stubbornness that he was all too-familiar with, but his hard resolve eased a bit when she admitted candidly, "I mean, I don't want to be a bother to you, Gaara-sensei…"

"It's not a bother at all." He assured her in a calm tone, and then he briefly stepped away to get their meals, bringing them over to the small table in front of the couch, since he did not want his student to get up and leave her current relaxed position.

"Um, thanks…" Matsuri murmured softly when he handed her one of the warm boxes and a pair of wooden chopsticks, to which he responded with a slight nod in response.

As his gaze briefly flickered over the girl to make sure she was comfortable, the red-haired young man headed for the chair positioned just a couple of feet adjacent to her spot, and sat down upon the comfortable cushion with his own meal and eating utensils in hand.

"Oh, I should make some tea," the bole-haired Chunin suddenly remarked just as she had lifted the top of the box; she set it aside and began to raise herself up off the seat, but stopped when Gaara fixed her with a stern, almost reprimanding look. "…What? Don't you want something to drink, Gaara-sensei?"

"I'll take care of it." He declared definitively as he stood and proceeded back to the kitchen area while mentally trying to recall which cabinets held her supply of teabags and teapot, and after a brief search, he had water steadily heating on the stove. As he prepared the tea in silence, the sand wielder sensed, rather than saw, that his student was watching him the whole time – she apparently had not started eating without him, since there were no sounds indicating so, and tranquility reigned over the room. That knowledge made Gaara feel somewhat slightly uneasy, as if he was being closely scrutinized, but his expression remained calm and composed even when he returned to the table near the couch, carrying two steaming cups in both hands. Discreetly glancing her way, he noticed that Matsuri had a small smile on her face as she uttered her thanks and accepted the tea, and then she waited for him to take his seat before she picked up her food and began to eat; after her initiation, he did the same.

"So, um, the meeting that suddenly came up today," the slender brunette piped up while pausing in-between bites, "What was it about? I mean, if you can tell me."

The young Kazekage closed his eyes for a moment, briskly recalling the details that had been discussed earlier in the afternoon, and his pale turquoise irises were cool and firm with calm, assertive strength as he revealed, "We have reason to believe that a conflict might rise between Suna and the Village Hidden in the Sound."

"Oh?" She appeared surprised at the information, and continued with, "Why is that, Gaara-sensei? I thought I remembered… Wait, didn't they want to sign a treaty with our village last month?"

"They sent a representative to meet with the council and myself about two weeks ago. We held a special session immediately, and we were in the middle of discussing an agreement during most of the time." He affirmed with a twinge of cool irritation underlying his deep voice as he remembered the endless debating that had taken place immediately after the meeting between the various council members to air out numerous suspicions. A few others had expressed great interest allying with their enigmatic neighboring village, while Gaara had listened to each one of them present their respective argument and maintained neutrality as best he could, despite some attempts to draw him in. "But even after the meeting had ended, the treaty was not finalized. In fact, we just received a revised proposal a few days ago. There was a new stipulation added to it that requires Suna to sever our alliance with Konoha before the Sound Village will cooperate."

Matsuri made a face that blatantly expressed her disapproval of the notion, which had been the same reaction as the redhead when he initially read the changed sections of the treaty draft, although he, of course, was obligated to keep his disdain hidden. "What? We wouldn't do that, right? I mean, we have a great relationship and a strong alliance with the Lady Hokage and the Hidden Leaf Village."

"I agree." He nodded slightly in emphasis of his assent before continuing further, "The majority of the council feels the same way. However, there are a few members pushing for the proposal to be approved. They seem strongly in favor of being allies with the Sound Village rather than the Leaf Village."

"But that doesn't make sense," his outspoken student persisted zealously, and a brief glance in her direction gave him an indication of her present state of annoyance, "I know the Sand and Sound used to be allies before, but I don't think we can trust them after they betrayed our village by assassinating the Fourth-"

She suddenly cut off the sentence, but Gaara knew full well what she had meant to say, and he closed his eyes for a few moments, inwardly trying to calm his troubled nerves at the unexpected mention of the previous Kazekage, his own father.

"I-I'm sorry, Gaara-sensei…" he heard Matsuri apologizing just then in a quiet, uncharacteristically meek tone of voice; he was unsure of exactly how much of his dark, bleak days had been divulged to her over the years, but like most of the other villagers, she knew enough.

The red-haired young man slowly shook his head and struggled to maintain his composure with his mental willpower, responding coolly, "No, it's fine. You don't need to apologize, Matsuri."

His pale turquoise eyes glanced her way to see the girl nod, but she remained silent throughout the remainder of the meal, and by that aspect alone, he could tell that she felt guilty for bringing up one of his most unpleasant memories, albeit unintentionally. Although the two had been friends for several years, Gaara never discussed the intricate details of his painful past with her, not a single allusion of the tumultuous relationship between him and his parents, or what happened to his maternal uncle. But regardless of his lack of input, he was quite certain that Matsuri had heard at least one or two of the many stories about his family from some of the elderly Suna citizens, whom had no inhibitions about spreading tales of illustrious interest. It was to be expected, however, for he was the Kazekage of the village, a figure of great importance that the public held in high regard with friends and foes alike, and as such, he had to dutifully ignore the negative gossip that circulated amongst the opposition.

When the pair had finished eating, Gaara firmly commanded his student to stay seated before he took her empty box, and then rose from the chair beside the girl to carry the disposable trays dump them into the wastebasket in the kitchen. At her request, he retrieved a packet of lemon-flavored cookies from one of the many cabinets lining along the walls, and brought it over to the compliant, patiently waiting brunette, along with another hot cup of freshly brewed tea. The two friends spent the next couple of hours in quiet but engaged conversation, neither one paying attention to the time, until Matsuri suddenly yawned out loud and closed her eyes, idly stretching her arms high up above her head. At that point, the concerned redhead momentarily averted his gaze to the clock hanging on a nearby mantel and noted the lateness of the night; he would have to assist his companion to her room, while he opted to sleep outside on the couch.

"Matsuri." The young man spoke evenly to get her attention, and when she turned to look at him, he continued with, "You should get some rest now. I will bring you to your room. Unless, you need something else before going to sleep?"

Matsuri shook her head. "I'm fine, but thanks. Um… are you going to wait until I fall asleep before you leave, Gaara-sensei?"

A small smile played about his lips as he went over to her position and once again, lifted her securely within his arms, starting to walk toward the rear section of her house before nonchalantly informing the girl, "I will be staying here tonight."

The sudden jolt that surged through her light form almost made him chuckle in amusement; really, she should have known by now that he could be assertive and forceful when the situation called for it, especially if he wanted to counter _her_ fervent stubbornness. "You… you are?"

He simply nodded in wordless response, and then several minutes later, he entered her room and carefully set his student down upon the bed, his pale turquoise eyes keenly watching her form as she settled in and got comfortable for slumber.

The light weakly seeping inside from the hallway was just enough to allow Gaara to catch a glimpse of the faint pink creeping up over her fair cheeks when the girl mumbled shyly, "Oh, I… kind of need to change…"

That candid remark alone made him feel strangely flustered deep down inside, but he tried to keep his expression neutral as he swiftly turned around to leave, quietly bidding Matsuri good-night before he closed the door behind him. _Sleep well, Matsuri._

Not yet feeling tired himself, the tall redhead returned to the living room and brought the used cups and saucers to the sink, rinsing them and the teapot out, and then replacing everything back in their original locations. The empty bag of lemon cookies went straight into the wastebasket, along with the stray crumbs that he wiped off of the table using a damp washcloth – after his older sister moved out, he had learned how to do various domestic chores. Kankuro seemed to be oblivious to the dust and mess that periodically cluttered up their house, but at present, he grudgingly began to help with the housecleaning after Gaara had threatened to flood his room via huge waves of sand. Despite their differences, the two brothers got along quite well with each other, and they kept in constant touch with Temari, whom frequently came back to her old home for visits, claiming that she wanted to make sure they could survive without her being there to supervise.

Gaara knew that his student had lived on her own ever since her parents were killed, and although he only recently started to see her house from the inside, he could tell that she was adjusting well to a life of independent responsibilities. Throughout the years of their friendship, Matsuri would periodically dole out little bits and pieces of information to him in regards to the time back when her parents were alive, and her family was still wholly intact. On more than one occasion, the young brunette had somberly confessed that it was rather difficult getting used to being alone, a sentiment that Gaara himself knew all-too-well, but nevertheless, she found the strength to persevere. The redhead was dimly aware of the friendly and affectionate way that Temari and Kankuro treated Matsuri, as if she was their little sister, and she certainly seemed happy to receive so much attention from the trio of close-knit siblings.

With that pleasant thought in mind, Gaara briskly inspected the living room for anything else that needed straightening up, and after finding everything in order, he decided it was time to sleep, so he changed into his second outfit and laid down upon the couch.

**To Be Continued…**


	3. Midnight Confession

**Part Three: Midnight Confession**

At the sound of the first thunking noise, the dozing brunette thought it was just a part of her dream, and after emitting a wistful little sigh, she subconsciously tried to burrow herself back into the warm, relaxing world of serene slumber.

When a couple more thunks echoed within her ears, Matsuri stirred drowsily and moaned a bit as she gradually awakened to awareness, even though her body was urged to remain still to keep resting, and her mind also wanted to return to sleep. Dark ebony eyes blinked slowly and focused on the hazy, shadow-covered aspects of her surroundings, and the girl stifled a yawn as she slowly ascended to a sitting position, and then glanced around her own room in a bit of bewilderment. Faintly recalling the repetitive noises that had penetrated her peaceful state, a slight frown formed over her expression as Matsuri tried to remember which direction the sounds had come from… some other part of her house, perhaps? A quick glance into the hallway right outside told her that there were no lights on in the nearby vicinity, and she giggled softly at the thought of her sensei presumably stumbling around in the darkness as he attempted to not disrupt her rest.

_What's Gaara-sensei doing?_ The girl wondered silently to herself, and instead of calling out for his assistance, she decided to get up and walk into the kitchen on her own for a glass of water, wanting to test out the status of the sprain that was in her ankle.

Carefully, Matsuri gripped the edge of her nearby nightstand while sliding her legs out from underneath the covers, and then she planted her feet firmly on the carpet floor, rising gradually as to not startle any weak or injured muscles in them. When she was fully standing, the petite brunette gingerly took a few steps forward, and felt only a tingle of sensitivity tickling her nerves, which indicated that the injury in her ankle had already healed, and almost completely, in fact. Pleased to see the speedy recovery, Matsuri grinned happily and quietly padded out of her foot to head toward the kitchen, briefly toying with the idea of going into the living room to show Gaara her leg so he would not have to fuss over her condition anymore. Admittedly, the girl had enjoyed the way he took care of her earlier in the evening, as he seemed to always worry about her status at the slightest sign of pain or discomfort, which made sense because of their close relationship, but she was also pretty tough on her own right.

As the bole-haired girl approached the kitchen, she felt her gaze furtively slipping over to glance at the darkened living room just a few feet away, and the urge to see her sensei returned, only more strongly this time. She kept the lights off as to not startle him out of sleep, and then padded softly across the short space separating her from his position, maintaining all the quiet stealth that had been taught to her throughout the years of her ninja training. Matsuri quickly reached the couch and leaned over slightly to peer down at the slumbering redhead with a smile of expectation gracing her lips, but to her surprise, the space was completely empty… where had he gone to at this time of night? Her initial reaction was to check the front door, as she momentarily feared that someone figured out the Kazekage was staying at her house, and had surreptitiously swooped in under the veil of bleak gloom to take him away, like the one time before.

But Matsuri figured that she could just be overreacting as well, and so without even going back to her room for weapon retrieval, she swiftly donned slippers and opened the door to step out into the deceivingly serene darkness. She slowly turned her head to look all around, and then lifted her gaze to acknowledge the bright light shining down from the full moon that hung in the otherwise coal-black sky, its luminous brilliance overshadowing the tiny nearby stars. Her worried expression faded a bit at the beautiful sight, and when her eyes began to scan the area again, Matsuri caught a glimpse of a lone figure on top of the roof of her house, silent and still, attention directed straight at the moon. Recognizing the large gourd hanging from his back and the familiar strands of crimson red hair lightly swaying in the calm nocturnal breeze, the girl instantly knew that it was her sensei standing up there, which immediately roused her curiosity.

She quietly shut the front door after ensuring it remained unlocked, and then leapt up onto the rooftop, landing with barely any noise, and slowly, she proceeded toward the spot where Gaara was standing, trying not to reveal her presence right away. A swift gust of wind swirled around her body as the brunette walked along the straight wooden row, which was a rather acute reminder of how thin her nightclothes were, the light-colored cotton material clearly being a flimsy barrier against the cold. Nearing his position, Matsuri vaguely noticed that he was wearing a different outfit than when she last saw him earlier in the evening, as he currently donned all-black attire that blended well with the dark setting, a sharp contrast to the tan shade of his gourd. She approached Gaara tentatively, wondering how she should greet him, or even if she was allowed to be there at this moment, since he seemed at peace and tranquil within the still environment, and she knew he valued his privacy most of the time.

Though she presently faced his back, he somehow knew that she had arrived, for Matsuri was still a few feet behind him when he suddenly spoke in his usual calm and cool tone, "Matsuri. Why aren't you asleep? You should be resting right now."

"Um, I just got thirsty and woke up to get some water," she fibbed hesitantly, not wanting to reveal that the noises he made had actually caused her to awaken, and then she realized where his concern must have lied; "Oh, don't worry, Gaara-sensei. My leg doesn't hurt anymore."

Aside from a slight nod in response, the tall redhead remained motionless, and his gaze was keenly fixated upon the moon that loomed high up in the vast sky above their heads, which made Matsuri silently wonder why he seemed so entranced by it.

Feeling somewhat awkward as if she had disrupted his private moment of peaceful solitude, the timid brunette stayed quiet for a short while longer before she asked softly, faltering and fumbling over the words a bit, "Gaara-sensei? Is… um… something bothering you?"

His initial response was to claim that nothing was wrong, but upon hearing the concern in her soothing, melodic voice, he suddenly wondered how she would react if he revealed just a sliver of his inner turmoil to her. _Matsuri. Would you be able to understand, or will you become stricken with fear and leave me?_

Unsure of whether or not he would actually tell her anything, Matsuri simply opted to continue walking forward until she was positioned right beside her sensei, and then after a moment, she turned her head to peer at him in wordless inquiry.

Gaara sensed that she expected a response, eventually, and she would not believe his assertion that everything was fine; his student knew him far better than that, and seemed to sense whenever he felt perturbed, no matter how hard he tried to conceal it. When had he allowed her to get so close to him that she could actually tell what his mood was like, even more accurately than his own siblings? How much longer could he deny the strange feelings that stirred deep within him when he and Matsuri were together? The young man understood that he occasionally had the strong desire to keep her around him, close by his side, although he was unsure why or even where the notion came from in the first place, and his attempts at finding a clear answer were unfounded. Deep down inside, he was dimly aware of what she truly meant to his heart, the importance of her existence extending far more than just a friend or an ally, but he could not voice that aloud, as the blood-red tattoo on his forehead reminded him of his previous experience.

The mere thought of her leaving was devastating enough for him to keep the torrid details of his dark sins barricaded in a self-induced prison within his mind, and Gaara had no difficulties keeping each and every single tidbit of _that_ information a secret until the end of time. Knowing full well that some of the other villagers had used to spread stories about him in a furious wave of gossip, spreading around like wildfire, he deemed it unnecessary to feed Matsuri additional frightening facts, so he never intended to tell her anything. But the platonic relationship that he previously shared with his student had changed not long ago, creating additional complications, and if they were to pursue something more substantial, form a deeper bond between them, then he would have to be completely honest, in spite of the possible outcome. Finally, the sand wielder decided that he was tired of running away and keeping his past hidden from her; Matsuri had been his friend for almost four years, sticking by his side through many trying and turbulent situations, and he really should have placed more trust in her.

His deep voice was low and purposefully lacked emotion as he slowly began, saying the first thing that came to mind, "When the moon is full… I am reminded of the chaos that used to reside within me."

She blinked in slight confusion at his cryptic words, but when she mentally tried to decipher and interpret their meaning, she soon realized that he was most likely referring to the terrifying sand spirit, Shukaku, that used to possess his body before the forced extraction. _Gaara-sensei…_

Though he had decided to prove just how much faith he had toward his student, he was reluctant to reveal too much information in a rapid or rushed manner, and so Gaara suddenly inquired instead of divulging an explanation right away, "What have you heard from the other villagers, Matsuri? That is, about me."

A bit taken back by his abrupt question, Matsuri hesitated as she recalled the hushed whispers and cold glares of fear that had been directed toward the young Kazekage from both Suna villagers and outsiders alike; uneasy with those memories, she only revealed vaguely, "W-well, sometimes, people like to say a lot of things, even if they're not all true…"

Again, the sand wielder wondered just how much she knew about his past and the bloody sins he committed, if she had truly taken the horror stories into account on that fateful day when the timid brunette first decided to become his student. "Do you believe them?"

At this, she shook her head firmly in emphasis, despite the fact that she knew Gaara was not looking directly at her. "Not everything. Only the good stories."

There was a hint of mild amusement in his calm, deep voice at her candid statement, as he felt admittedly touched by the depth of her loyalty to him, and yet he found himself replying with slight incredulity, "Really."

"Temari and I talk about you sometimes, Gaara-sensei," she murmured softly and tucked a lock of stray tresses behind her ear in a shy gesture, "She always says good things about you, and Kankuro does too. I believe them. I don't listen to other people because they don't know you. They shouldn't say things that they're not sure of. But Temari and Kankuro are your sister and brother, and they live with you, so… they'd know what's true and what isn't."

Pleased with her logical deduction and sensible line of reasoning, Gaara nodded and allowed a partial smile to crease his lips; despite her trusting and open nature, his student was not gullible, and now, he knew for certain that she deserved to hear his side of the story.

He was about to speak on the subject just then when all of a sudden, Matsuri piped up with, "I, um, asked Temari about the tattoo on your forehead once… That character, it means love, right? I was wondering… why you have it… and she told me she didn't want to say anything unless it was okay with you."

The tall redhead stiffened at the mention of his self-induced tattoo, and was instantly reminded of the person and incident that caused him to go nearly mad with grief one night, long ago… when he had been foolish enough to open his heart and allowed in a harsh blow of treachery.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Gaara-sensei," the girl was quick to assure him when she detected his discomfort on the question she had just proposed.

"No, it's fine." He answered finally; he had, after all, already made up his mind to be honest with her regarding his past, and if she truly wanted to know this, then he would entrust her with the information, no matter how painful it was to talk about the issue. "I will tell you, Matsuri. However, everything I say to you tonight will be for your ears only. I don't want you to discuss the details with anyone else… not even Temari or Kankuro."

Despite feeling a bit startled at the magnitude of the trust he was showing her at that very moment, her expression grew very serious as she replied solemnly, "I won't. I'll keep everything to myself, I promise."

Unsure of exactly what he wanted to tell her, the young man simply opted to answer her inquiry first; "This tattoo… it was carved into my forehead by the sand, on my command."

Her facial features instantly twisted to show surprise at the revelation. _Wow, but… Didn't it hurt…?_

"I wanted it there to serve as a reminder of an experience that I once had with love. When I was young, someone told me that I was loved by my mother, even though it was my very birth that caused her death… He claimed that her spirit lingered on in the sand that rose to protect me of its own will." Gaara continued in a low and carefully controlled tone, his twin pale turquoise eyes never faltering from the intense focus that he had on the sight of the glowing full moon aligned straight ahead in the path of his view. "But I knew I was born a monster with Shukaku in my body, and I didn't think anyone could ever love such a terrifying beast."

Troubled by his belief, Matsuri held her breath as she attentively listened to the motionless redhead, wanting to say something in hopes of comforting him, but she was afraid that he would stop speaking if she interrupted his tale. _You're not a monster, Gaara-sensei…_

"That person repeatedly claimed I was loved, and after a while, I started to believe him. He had said… that as long as I treated others kindly and never harmed them, then the people in the village would slowly stop fearing me." As the incident still affected him to this day, Gaara had to inwardly struggle to extinguish the small embers of resentment that burned deep within him at the memory of his younger self, so naïve and pitifully trusting, placing full faith into his deceitful uncle. "But he was wrong. No matter what I did, they only saw the demon in me, and I was hated for having the evil sand spirit that had been infused with my body at birth. Because of their fear and resentment, I was constantly left alone, and soon, I began to feel a strange wound in my heart, a deep emptiness that couldn't be filled. I didn't understand that the feeling was pain. All I knew was that I wanted it gone, but I couldn't figure out how to get rid of it. So… I asked **him** if he knew."

The slender brunette felt her mouth go dry at the edge of anguish that she detected in his cool tone, and without even thinking about it, she gingerly lifted one hand toward her sensei, attempting to try and soothe his pain, even if only a little.

Just as the tips of her fingers grazed his arm, the sand wielder closed his eyes and silently drew strength from the endearing presence of his student standing right next to him, feeling sincerely relieved that she was there with her loyal support. "He did, apparently. Love, he answered, was the only way to heal wounds of the heart. He told me that love is the heart's selfless desire to serve another person, to protect and cherish someone precious. However, he said there were some wounds so deep that even love couldn't mend the broken parts together. Still, he encouraged me to try, claiming that if I were to find someone to love, and whom felt the same way in return, then… there was a chance that my heart wouldn't be in pain anymore."

Matsuri somberly nodded in wordless agreement while admiring his display of wisdom – he was just a year older than her, but he knew so much, and he had gone through many experiences and endured different situations, making her feel almost inferior and ignorant in comparison.

He could remember the conversation he shared with Yashamaru as if it had taken place just the previous day, and when he tried to continue, a strange feeling of constriction suddenly tightened within his heart, rendering him unable to speak. The foreign barrier was making it difficult for the pensive redhead to even move, and a few moments passed before he realized that he had said enough for the time being… an acute rush of memories would only cause him more grief than help. Should he actually be audacious enough to approach Matsuri with the baffling issue that had been persistently lingering inside his mind for quite a while, then there would be plenty of instances in the future for them to discuss additional details of his past, if she really wanted to know. But right now, Gaara could barely maintain his concentration on the full moon that loomed before his eyes, and not for the first time, he silently wondered how she would react to the question he had wanted to ask her ever since his initial realization that things were different between them.

"Matsuri."

Heeding his call, the girl immediately turned so that she faced him fully, although by this time, her arm had dropped down to her side when she raised her head and candidly met his gaze, entranced with the intensity of his expression as he stared back at her.

"There is something I want to ask you. Something I must know."

"Wh-what is it, Gaara-sensei…?" Her voice shook a little from the nervous fluttering that had suddenly arose inside her heart, filling her with hopeful yearning and warm contentment, longing to be close to him and yet, feeling scared of not having her affections returned… did she really dare to confess?

Her face was trusting and so full of innocent faith that Gaara inwardly cursed himself for burdening her with his doubt, his self-loathing, and his painful confusion… but at the same time, she had helped him tremendously just by reaching out and listening. It was becoming increasingly difficult for the young man to resist the inner urge that constantly prompted him to take Matsuri into his arms and hold her tightly against his heart… where he now knew for certain, was the very place that she resided in, chasing away his bleak loneliness. A couple of months ago, he had simultaneously given his own and taken her first kiss, and he would never forget the way his heart had felt so warm, comforted, and fulfilled… to the point where the sudden, intense burst of emotions caused him to pull away out of dazed bewilderment. But upon seeing the shocked look on her face, Gaara immediately apologized for his unexpected action and kept considerable distance from his student for several weeks afterward, all the while mentally berating himself, wondering if he had just ruined their entire relationship.

Then one night, when he was alone in his office, long after everyone else had left for the day, Matsuri entered his sanctuary and surprised the young Kazekage by throwing her arms around his neck as she firmly pressed her lips against his. Gaara was stunned speechless by her forward behavior, and a few minutes passed before he could respond, but when he did, his kiss was fierce as he released a great deal of pent-up tension that had been steadily rising within him during her absence. Never before had he felt his heart expand so much that he thought it might explode, and when the two parted to breathe, the redhead stared at Matsuri through different eyes as he realized in that very moment, just how important she was to him. She seemed to feel something for him as well, but despite their numerous outings together, neither one had ever come out to explicitly define the new changes in their relationship, and so now, Gaara intended to clear the air and bring that issue to light.

Steadily maintaining eye-contact, he slowly took one of her hands and held it tightly within his grasp, faintly acknowledging the slight tremble of her slim fingers, as well as the brief shiver that ran through her body at their close proximity. "Matsuri. I want you to make the decision."

Uncertainty flickered upon her face as the bewildered brunette timidly returned in question, "A-about what, Gaara-sensei…?"

"Our relationship." He informed her simply, keeping a cool and neutral composure so as to prevent placing pressure or influencing his companion into reaching a decision that was not of her own will; he knew she had a tendency of doing some things just to please him. "…I know I complicated everything between us. I'm sorry. But now that we're here, we must choose a direction to move toward. If you want, we can return to simply being teacher and student, and what happened earlier in the afternoon will not occur again. You have my word."

Her cheeks grew pink at the reminder of their training session that turned into heated kisses, and after swallowing past the large lump of nervousness in her delicate throat, Matsuri worked up enough courage to ask candidly, "A-and the other choice…?"

A ghost of a smile played about his lips as Gaara inwardly fought back the urge to reach out and envelop the girl into his arms right then and there – for truly, she was causing his heart to surge with emotions just by her presence alone. "Or we can be… together. You know what that would mean, Matsuri."

She nodded slowly, hardly believing that something she wanted for a long time was finally being presented to her, and after only a few seconds, the girl lightly squeezed his hand and answered with strong certainty in her voice, "I want to be with you, Gaara-sensei… if you'll have me."

At her words, the red-haired young man felt his heart suddenly swell with pleasant heat, and dimly, he wondered if this was the sensation of happiness, for it caused a genuine smile of pleasure to form over his normally-stoic expression. He could no longer resist the urge to hold her, and so he swiftly leaned forward to sweep Matsuri into his tight embrace, one open palm pressing into the silky strands of her dark brown hair, while his free arm was securely tucked around her waist. His former inhibitions about touching other people certainly did not apply to _her_, and she soon responded by returning the hug, accompanying her sweet gesture with a soft sigh that sounded wistful to his ears, the tantalizing his senses. After many years of isolation due to his painful betrayal, Gaara had been extremely resistant to the notion of opening up his heart and rendering himself vulnerable to devastation once again, but he finally found someone he could truly trust to let in and heal his deep wounds.

"Matsuri." He uttered quietly as his lips drew closely to her ear, whispering firmly in a low, intimate tone, "I should warn you… Once you are allowed to enter my heart, I won't be able to let you go. Do you still want to be with me?"

The intensity of his proclamation made her breathless, but she managed to nod in response, feeling so elated and overwhelmed by his acceptance that she was unable to speak at first; her own affections for him had run strong and deep for so long, after all… _Gaara-sensei, of course I do… I… I just wish I knew sooner that you felt this way about me…_

The couple stayed locked in their embrace quite a while, the ethereal glow of the moon covering their bodies in pale white light, and as time slowly passed by, the night grew colder, invoking an involuntary shiver of frigidity from Matsuri.

Gaara felt her bodily reaction, realizing that her clothes were probably not well-suited for the current temperature, and so he held her just one moment longer before he retracted a bit, suggesting in a quiet tone, "It's getting late. We should head back inside."

The girl grinned cheekily and despite the wintry weather, she responded with enthusiasm, "Yes, Gaara-sensei!"

Though he knew of her polite and respectful mannerisms, he still grimaced slightly at that; he certainly did not want his significant other to address him with such stiff formality, especially when they were now in a personal relationship. "No more titles, Matsuri. Just Gaara is enough. You are my equal, not my subordinate."

"Oh, all right… Gaara," she agreed easily, making a mental note and a conscious effort to change the way she addressed the tall redhead in light of their changed status, but then she thought of another possible hurdle; "Um, but what about… when we're around other people?"

Reluctantly, he admitted that she had a valid point there; despite having been his student for several years, Matsuri was very courteous to people that were higher-ranked than her, always using titles when she spoke to him, and 'sensei' only in private. It admittedly irked the young Kazekage to hear her referring to him as _Lord_ Gaara in public, even around his own siblings, but he supposed that the prim and proper ritual between them would have to continue for now, being necessary for the sake of keeping her safe. They had to conceal their relationship until the right time, and if Matsuri suddenly dropped her formality in regards to the way she addressed him, then it would obviously imply that the two were close, raising suspicion to keen and attentive bystanders of interest. Gaara buried a sigh of mild frustration, already feeling impatient with all the precautions that needed to be carried out, and it was quite unpleasant to think about the probable scenarios of threats and danger that could befall his most vital and precious person.

"Perhaps you should, but only when we're in public… and regardless of where we are, I won't enforce it." He answered finally, after a mental struggle to reach the middle ground, hoping it would appease both of their concerns.

"Okay. Wait, if I'm not going to call you 'sensei' anymore, does this mean I'm getting a new teacher?" The cheery brunette asked him with a playful, mischievous little pout as a teasing edge underlined her words. "You're not going to train me anymore? But I only want to learn from you…"

"I will continue to teach you, and help you develop your techniques, if that's what you want." The sand wielder complied with her request, while inwardly vowing to train Matsuri very thoroughly and diligently to ensure that she would not be endangered when news of their relationship eventually began to leak out to the public; he was not taking any chances. "However, from this point on, you must be more careful, and never let your guard down, Matsuri. I don't want you targeted or getting harmed because of our involvement. Not again."

Her expression was somber, as she knew of the incident that he referenced in his warning, the time when she had been kidnapped before for being his student, and she nodded firmly to assure him that she understood his concern completely, her dark eyes alit with strength. _I won't let you down, Gaara-sen… I mean, Gaara._

After her response, his facial features briefly turned stern as he turned away, focusing on the space beside the edge of the rooftop, and then seconds later, a small cloud of sand gathered together in the air, soon forming a floating platform. Matsuri stared at it with a bit of awe – no matter how often she saw his unique ability of skillfully manipulating the sand, there were some techniques of his that never ceased to amaze her, such as watching him fly high and soar up near the wispy clouds. Without hesitation, Gaara calmly stepped forward, right off the rooftop and onto the sturdy surface of the sand platform, and then he pivoted back around to face the timid brunette with his hand extended out to her in silent invitation. Having only ridden on it a couple of times in the past, Matsuri felt a tad nervous, but tried to push aside her mild worries as she took a firm hold of his hand and joined her companion on the elevated piece of land, wordlessly drawing upon the strength of his will, and his power over the tiny little grains.

They descended to the ground without any hindrance, and entered the dark, silent house, where the pair was immediately surrounded by the bleak setting, but of course, Matsuri knew her way around very well, not even needing the light to guide her along. Unfazed by the darkness, Gaara mutely allowed her to lead him through the living room, past the kitchen, into the hallway, and then toward the rear section of her house, where her pace seemed to slow down a bit as they approached her room at the end. He sensed the slight change in her behavior, but he honestly did not understand where her sudden trepidation came from, for the young man was truly ignorant of most social interactions, especially intimacy, since he had never been romantically involved with anyone before. Mild confusion and concern formed over his expression at her uncharacteristic hesitancy, and while he mentally fumbled for the most appropriate response, Gaara opted to lift one hand toward the girl and gently placed it upon her shoulder.

Matsuri turned to face him at his action, and she pursed her lips slightly in a shy gesture, truly unsure of how to end the night at this point, but he promptly misinterpreted her action for a different meaning, and so he leaned forward to cover her mouth with his. A pleasant tremor ran through her petite frame as his hand slid off her shoulder and slowly glided down to press into the small of her back, the light and airy contact causing her heart to pound faster, enthralling her senses with an acute rush of delightful pleasure. Gaara suppressed a small groan that threatened to escape when she returned his kiss, and then he felt her lay both open palms upon his chest, not with the intention of pushing him away, but to scrunch up and grip small fistfuls of his thin black shirt. A foreign entity of heat sparked to life deep inside his body, confusing the redhead with its strange presence, but he idly averted his attention away and focused on the embrace between him and Matsuri, steadily feeling more and more reluctant to leave her side.

Growing breathless and a little dizzy after some time, she gasped lightly into his mouth and held onto him tighter, feeling warmth gradually rising within her form as his kisses became more insistent, unintentionally snaring the girl under his spell. She timidly parted her lips and deepened the kiss by daring to enter his mouth with her tongue, boldly taking control as Gaara momentarily froze in apparent surprise, but he recovered shortly and tested out the new gesture himself. Firming his grip, the lean redhead met her soft pink muscle and rubbed against the slick surface with the tip of his tongue as his head tilted of its own accord to gain better access into her warm, wet cavern, and he almost smiled upon feeling her sudden tremble. The intensity of his inner heat gradually seeped into her sensitive nerves, and her knees soon buckled from the overwhelming tension that tightened her muscles, causing Matsuri to cry out softly when she lost her balance and shifted her entire weight as she toppled forward.

The unexpected movement startled Gaara for a few seconds, but then he reacted by swiftly bending down and tucking one arm underneath both of her legs, straightening back up with the slender brunette in his protective hold. Upon catching a glimpse of the visible shade of redness that crept over her fair cheeks, the mild color further accented by the weak glow of pale moonlight, he smiled faintly, feeling his fondness for Matsuri steadily increasing with each passing minute. He did not know what had caused her to suddenly collapse, and briefly wondered if perhaps her leg was still in pain after all, but deemed that possibility highly unlikely, since she had been able to get on top of the roof just a short while ago. So then that meant another reason had caused her to falter, although he could not reach a definitive conclusion even as his mind mused over the baffling action… Matsuri appeared to be perfectly fine, albeit her blush indicated that she was embarrassed about something.

There had been several instances in his life where Gaara was a bit frustrated by his severe lack of experience in the area of social interaction, but at those times, his student always soothed his irritation with her jubilant and understanding patience. Even knowing full well about his deficiency in a department that _she_ easily excelled at, what with her outgoing, optimistic nature, she still accepted him, and occasionally, she had also resisted his disgruntled behavior as she tried to improve his sorely-inept skills. But now, in this very moment, it seemed as though Matsuri was mirroring his unspoken anxiety, appearing unsure of how to continue at the present point, and a silent question lingered within the recesses of his mind, refusing to be elicited aloud. His light turquoise eyes gazed down at her in steady silence as she stayed within the sturdy support of his strong arms, and he reluctantly glanced away to avoid the temptation of uttering a secret desire that might invoke one of many different, varying responses.

_Should I just bring you inside and then leave, or… will you let me stay with you a little while longer?_

Exhaling evenly, the red-haired young man entered her room and carried the girl over to her bed, gently lowering her upon it, and then intended to end things there by bidding her good-night after that, but before he could move away, she encircled his neck and firmly held him in place.

**To Be Continued…**


	4. Scarlet Love

**Part Four: Scarlet Love**

_Matsuri...?_

His process impeded, the young man could only blink and silently stare down at his significant other as a smile slowly spread over her lips; by her action, he could tell that she did not want him to leave, but then… did she mean for them to spend the night in her room? Inwardly, Gaara admitted to feeling a bit bewildered by her refusal to let him go, and he dimly wondered if it was appropriate for them to be in the same bed together, but at the same time, he acknowledged several strong urges that insisted he stay and further their embrace. Mild surprise flickered over his calm expression when Matsuri pulled him back toward her for another soft, sweet kiss, her lips tentatively playing over his, and it was not long before his knees were pressing into the mattress as he drew closer. Losing himself to the temptation of lying down with her, he barely had the presence of mind to unload the large gourd from his back and then wordlessly commanded it to descend and silently land amongst the soft bristles of the carpet floor.

To avoid applying the pressure of his weight upon her, the sand wielder briefly broke their kiss to rest next to Matsuri on his side, and his pale turquoise eyes gazed directly at her face as he waited for her encouragement to continue. When a dreamy smile formed over the smooth curve of her mouth, he extended an arm out to ensnare her waist and leaned forward to bring their lips together once more, as he steadily became aware of the amorous inner heat that rose higher to entice his senses. His mind attempted to figure out why his body was reacting this way, stirring with sudden powerful urges and compelling desires to swiftly shed the confining restraints of all his clothing, and then promptly stripping Matsuri of her attire as well. Struggling to resist the foreign prompts, Gaara drew in one shaky breath and refused to push her any further, although if they kept kissing and huddling closely together in such a manner, he was not sure how long he could maintain control of his noble mindset.

Not only did the conflicted redhead have physical yearnings to fight against, but emotionally as well; his heart had been aching with painful loneliness for many years, secretly craving to attain and feel the soothing, healing love of another. He knew that Matsuri cared for him and held a certain amount of fondness due to their close bond, but it was probably nowhere near the intensity of the way he felt toward her… despite his inexperience, there was no mistaking the meaning of this one. The mere thought of uttering the admission aloud brought Gaara a fair amount of tense apprehension, due to the devastating possibility of rejection, but deep inside his heart, with no one around to witness or hear his confession, he was willing to admit the truth: he loved Matsuri. It was the very same entity of love that drove him to finally succumb to his desire of testing the boundaries of their friendship so many months ago, when he kissed her for the first time, and then attempted to pursue the girl in a vague, uncertain manner, as he expected her rightful refusal any day.

The stoic sand wielder was pleased that she seemed to tolerate, or perhaps even _enjoyed_ his company, which he truly did not expect to happen, and the more time they spent together, the higher his own anxiety and insecurities rose. Maybe Matsuri could stand him for a short period, but he, on the other hand, had felt his resolve steadily slipping away as his desire to be with her continuously increased, until he could no longer bear to treat her in a mere platonic manner. For most of his life, Gaara had been able to keep a tight and rigid reign on his emotions – albeit occasionally, anger turned him irrationally bloodthirsty back when Shukaku rendered his mental state thoroughly exhausted and unstable. But earlier in the afternoon on that day, being in constant close proximity with Matsuri and watching her flushed face glowing as effort and determination shone within her dark eyes, he weakened and kissed his student, surprising them both by throwing out his usual inhibitions.

Nevertheless, she had responded then, and here they were now, together in her bed, kissing and clutching each other as if the slightest inkling of sleep would be rejected right away, and the former insomniac certainly was not tired in the least bit… In fact, the longer he held Matsuri in his arms, the more his body became acutely aware of how snugly she was pressed against him, acknowledging the exotic softness of her petite form, and just then, he discreetly noticed the very few buttons on her nightshirt. The thin white material hardly served as a barrier, severely lacking in its purpose of concealment, and out of the corner of his eye, Gaara could catch a faint glimpse of the tank top strap that was vaguely outlined under the frail, flimsy garment. Heat gradually rose to burn him up from deep within, and before long, he felt as though he was struggling against an uphill battle, and when the brunette innocently cuddled closer to him, her delicate scent fully infiltrated his senses, effectively killing his feeble resistance.

With a low growl rumbling in his throat, the impassioned redhead submitted to his strongest inner desire and pushed Matsuri firmly into the mattress before he swiftly propped himself on top of her, although he did keep a keen ear open to hear her reaction. A soft gasp drifted into his mouth, mingling with his hot breath, but she offered no resistance to any of his actions, and when he dared to bring her hands over to the front of her shirt, her only response was a mild noise that sounded like contentment. As his fingers began to unfasten the small round circles lined together, Gaara mentally hardened his resolve, fully intending to stop the instant his partner showed a single sign of unease or discomfort; he would never dishonor her, no matter how powerful his yearnings were. Matsuri emitted a wistful little moan just then that absolutely enthralled him, and when all the buttons were separated from their secure holes, she idly shrugged her shoulders and the nightshirt drifted down to the mattress, exposing some of her bare skin.

The second he placed his hands upon her again, Gaara discovered how warm she felt, almost feverish, and when she squirmed slightly in that moment, he silently considered getting rid of her tank top to help soothe the brunette by divesting her of some heat. Blood pounded in his ears when the sand wielder boldly gripped a hold of her flimsy attire and pulled it up over her head, carelessly dropping the article to the side as his attention was immediately snared by another area of much greater interest. Having never seen a woman's naked chest before, he stared at her for several full minutes, oblivious to the bashful blush that was enflaming Matsuri's pale cheeks, and when he finally moved, his hand slowly reached toward one of the pert mounds. His long fingers kneaded the soft skin with underlying uncertainty, but he was encouraged by the sweet, breathy sigh that his partner uttered just then, and so his grasp firmed a bit as the pad of his thumb tentatively drew circles around her hardening nipple.

Matsuri shivered and closed her eyes to feel the acute sensation of his hands cupping both of her breasts, his light, albeit warm touch sending sharp tingles down her spine, and tenderness flooded her heart from their intimate embrace. Her twin lids immediately shot up in surprise upon her sudden awareness of his head nuzzling her chest, the dark crimson strands of his hair unintentionally tickling her skin and causing the girl to elicit a light giggle even as her stomach fluttered nervously. Seeming to have missed the noise, Gaara turned so that his cheek was pressing into the shallow dip of the valley between her mounds, his ear resting over her heart as the pace steadily increased in excitement… was he listening to the beating rhythm? That short-lived train of thought was swiftly derailed when he shifted over to one side and lifted his head just a bit to cover her breast with his mouth, sucking gently while his warm and wet tongue rolled around the small nub of her sensitive nipple.

The pleasurable sensation was heightened by his hand caressing her other breast, drawing a moan from the brunette, and then she lolled her head back along the smooth pillow, agitatedly writhing underneath the lean body insistently covering over her. An unexpected thrust of his hips sent Matsuri blindly reaching out for her significant other, seeking his assurance, and she absentmindedly entangled her slim fingers into his hair, her grip tightening when the light pressure of his teeth surrounded her nipple. Her legs gingerly parted at his wordless insistence, and Matsuri felt her heart skip a beat as the redhead settled comfortably in-between them, their intimate position made obvious by the hardness nestled directly against her soft lower region. Though innocent due to her lack of experience, the passive brunette was not completely ignorant of the act, and her blush deepened considerably when Gaara periodically rocked forward, rubbing into her private feminine area, a clear indication of his desire.

"Matsuri…" her name suddenly escaped his lips, hotly fanning her bare flesh in a harsh, hoarse tone that revealed the intensity of his growing need as the sand wielder avidly switched his attention over to her other breast, drawing it into his mouth.

Passion engulfed her senses and rendered her vulnerable, causing Matsuri to cry out in a trembling voice, as the hand he had clutching at her waist swiftly slid around to her back, firmly pressing her even tighter against his lean form. His tongue thrashed wildly within the confines of his mouth, the slick, wet muscle intently teasing her nipple to no end, sending jolts of pleasure to wrack her sensitive nerves, and Matsuri dazedly wondered about the strange, sudden increasing tension that had awakened in her… She squirmed restlessly at feeling the heat that was trapped between her legs, accompanied by an exotic presence of… wetness that also lingered around the lower area, which baffled her quite a bit, but her head was too dizzy to concentrate on it for long. Her periodic noises seemed to please Gaara, for with each little sound she made, his caresses grew bolder and more aggressive, eventually leading to the girl delicately lifting her hips, and allowing him to simultaneously tug off her pants and undergarments.

Now, she was fully nude and completely bared before his eyes, and the lean redhead retracted from his partner to shed his own clothing, maintaining a cool and calm expression even as he hastily pulled the confining black shirt up and over his head. He noticed that her gaze immediately fell upon his exposed chest, and he hid a smile of slight amusement at the way she reacted by inhaling sharply, while he found the gesture rather endearing when Matsuri turned her face away with burning cheeks of bashfulness. She certainly felt acute sensations that were likely similar to his own, and Gaara secretly reveled in the sound of her little gasps and soft moans that indicated her pleasure, giving him more confidence in an area where he severely lacked experience. With his minimal knowledge of biological functions and anatomy, the sand wielder at least understood the response of arousal that was infiltrating his entire body, and he logically deduced that the wound-up tension needed some way to escape.

His long fingers steadily unbuckled the belt holding his pants closed together, and he gradually lowered the article of clothing while watching his partner to gauge her reaction – he would stop if she showed the slightest hint of wanting to refuse him. Her face appeared flushed, and there was noticeable timidity in her dark ebony eyes, but Matsuri uttered naught a word of resistance, even after the redhead had briefly slid to the edge of the bed and completely removed all of his lower attire, idly letting them fall to the floor. Feeling heat creep up over the back of his neck, Gaara took a long moment to compose himself and cool his eager libido a bit before he slowly turned around to face the bole-haired girl, his expression revealing a sliver of his concealed uncertainty. Now that they were both naked and willingly ready to continue, mild trepidation seeped into his nerves; he wanted to be with Matsuri, no doubt about that, but did she feel the same way about him? Would she truly allow him to breach the most intimate and private part of herself?

It was not his physical desires that ached to be with her the most; his heart craved her acceptance, her affections, and even her love, but at this point, they had already gotten this far, and so he knew that she placed a great deal of trust in him. He certainly did not want to do anything that would violate her generous faith, albeit the young man worried about how easily he could make a mistake with her, since he was so inexperienced and practically clueless in the current situation. Throughout the entire encounter, Gaara had relied on his bodily instincts and impulsive urges to guide him in caressing his partner, and it seemed as though he was doing all right up to this moment, but with just one more step to reach completion, he suddenly felt anxious. His pale turquoise eyes pierced through the darkness and focused intently upon Matsuri, meticulously scrutinizing her facial features for a glimpse of her current mood as he silently wished he could figure out her mindset based on sight alone.

Shattering the stillness thickening the air between them, the sand wielder gradually edged forward until his knee faintly grazed hers, and then he stretched his hand out to gently grasp a hold of her wrist as he pulled the girl into his arms. _Tell me what to do, Matsuri._

"Do you want me to stop?" He asked her in a low, controlled tone, inwardly trying to eliminate all traces of nervousness that stubbornly lingered within him as he patiently awaited her answer, preemptively steeling himself for a softly-uttered refusal.

Locked in his strong embrace, Matsuri rested her cheek against the side of his neck and mentally considered their situation, even as a nagging voice in the back of her mind was urging the girl to slow down before they crossed the point of no return. Prior to this, the two had only exchanged a number of kisses and innocent embraces, but now, it was apparent that Gaara was willing to bring their intimacy to full circle, although not without getting her consent first, letting her have the choice once again. While the redhead almost always kept a calm and confident exterior, she had detected a very faint hint of pain in his voice, and she knew right then that he wanted to be with her because he direly _needed_ it, this close connection that would solidly bind them together. Outside on the roof of her house, she had finally learned what Gaara truly thought about love, the reason why he was so hesitant to openly pursue a relationship, and his earnest admission made the brunette more determined to prove her affections for him.

She shook her head in response to his question, and then gently broke free from his embrace to gracefully fall back upon the bed, tugging the lean young man along with her so that they descended together in one smooth, fluid motion. His hands instantly went to her sides, holding on for balance while he carefully steadied himself, and after sending her another intense look, his long fingers grasped her slender thighs with firm intention as he slowly pushed her legs apart. When he positioned his body at her entrance, Matsuri released a tentative sigh of trepidation and closed her eyes upon feeling him _there_, prodding her private region with his hard male part, knowing he was about to claim her untouched virtue as he gradually filled her. The innocent girl admittedly had a fair amount of nervousness dwelling within her mind, but she truly felt no fear about joining with him; even if she did not presently have the courage to say it out loud, she cared very deeply and intensely for Gaara.

A low hiss of contentment slipped out from his lips as the ardent redhead slowly sank into her, feeling the inner muscles of her feminine area immediately surrounding his length with a tight and thoroughly erotic sensation of containment. He pushed past the mild resistance that briefly stood in his way, the action causing his partner to elicit a soft gasp, and he quickly lifted his gaze to peer closely at her face, wondering if he had already done something wrong, made a mistake somehow. There was visible tension on her passive expression, and with a slight frown of alarm, Gaara decided to retreat and ensure she was all right, but when he began to pull out, she shook her head in refusal and boldly locked her legs around his waist. Confusion and concern made the young man pause for a short period as he wondered what to do, but then at her firm insistence, he nodded and gave the girl a warm smile before proceeding further until he fully entered her body, bringing them together intimately.

In that moment, his world consisted solely of his union with Matsuri, and the powerful waves of emotions that nearly overwhelmed his heart, stealing his ability for thought and reason as the logical part of his mind effectively shut down. There were only a few inhibitions regarding how genuinely vulnerable he felt at present, completely allowing himself to let go in her presence and essentially baring his most private and personal attributes to the precious person that he loved, even albeit secretly. Lost in a sea of foreign sensations, Gaara channeled all of his concentration and efforts into establishing a rhythm of passionate motion with his partner, their bodies awkwardly moving together in tentative uncertainty as they learned the intimate dance together. Each thrust sent a sharp jolt of erotic electricity shocking his nerves, and the enthralled redhead shuddered with pleasure as he subconsciously tightened his grip around her waist, apparently unwilling to release the girl from his hold for even a second.

_Matsuri…!_ His mind called out in silent need, and he felt as though the hot fire arising from within was threatening to consume him entirely, and the tight wetness surrounding his throbbing erection had a profound effect on his rapidly-slipping control. The captivated young man shut his eyes while his muscles ached with increasing tension, and instinctively his arms moved to swiftly encircle his partner's small frame, pressing her closely to him as his breaths quickened from the effort of their motion. His ears picked up the soft gasps that Matsuri meekly emitted with each powerful thrust he sank into her, and he felt her petite body trembling in the wake of their intimate passion, pushing him toward the edge of an unfamiliar inner explosion. Pure physical desire to such an extent… it was something that Gaara had never felt before, but he sensed completion and fulfillment approaching him in a rapid manner, dangling a promise of elation that he could only attain together with his most precious person.

He groaned out loud and stiffened reflexively as a powerful burst of brilliant white light overcame the darkness behind his closed eyelids, acutely intensifying the sensation of his length erupting inside of her, releasing his essence in a flow of wet heat. The redhead ground out her name in a low growl of ragged effort as he rode along the series of erotic waves to the very end, and when the sensitive tingling was over, he felt as though his strength depleted almost entirely, and he had to make the conscious effort not to fall forward onto Matsuri. Adamantly maintaining the pressure of his weight upon his own arms, Gaara carefully slipped out of the delicious warmth of her body and shifted back onto his rear end, easing down into a sitting position while a breathy sigh drifted freely from his lips. Slowly, he lifted his head and opened his eyes to reveal twin pools of hazy light turquoise with faint inclinations of emotion lingering in them as he stared at the brunette lying before him, curiously observing her state while he inwardly wondered how she was feeling…

After taking a few minutes to regain his senses, the lean redhead gradually edged toward her position, and avidly watched her serene expression as Matsuri leisurely raised her head to gaze back at him with a sweet smile gracing her lips.

"Matsuri, are you…" he began hesitantly, feeling strangely tongue-tied at the moment, which was a state that he had rarely been in before, but his own apprehension unnerved him quite a bit, to the point where he was affected by the uncertainty. "…Was everything all right for you?"

Though she vividly remembered the searing sting of pain that initially came with their intimate union, the compassionate brunette knew that telling Gaara would only bring him guilt and possibly regret, so she decided to keep quiet about it. "Oh, yes… I'm fine, really. Please, don't worry. I just, um, need to go to the bathroom for something."

He seemed surprised by her statement, but made no inclinations to halt her process as the girl intended to head into the bathroom and clean herself up, though she did hesitate at the realization of how tense and sore her leg muscles felt, almost implying she would be unable to walk. Still, there was no doubt that due to their being together this night, she would have to change the bed sheet in the morning and wash it, so for now, she wanted to try and prevent her blood from delving into and staining the white material. In spite of her presently tender muscles, Matsuri flashed her significant other a small smile of assurance, before stubbornly beginning to ascend from the bed, while quietly informing him that she would return soon after finishing her matters. She could fully stand up without any trouble, and feeling his attentive gaze on her back, it made her feel all the more determined to show Gaara that she was perfectly fine, but when she attempted to move forward, she faltered on her initial step alone.

Eliciting a low moan of mild frustration at the unwanted adverse effect, Matsuri mentally linked it to the necessity of enduring that trait for the first time of intimacy, although she was certainly grateful that all her prior training had somewhat loosened her muscles a bit. _It could've hurt a lot more, from what I heard…_

Although the brunette tensely managed to remain upright, the momentary pause was enough for Gaara to inquire after her, and even when she had started to lift one foot and resume the process, he nevertheless voiced aloud in concern, "Are you sure you're all right, Matsuri?"

She nodded instead of replying verbally, silently hoping that he would see the gesture despite the darkness, and then she continued on her way, briefly considering the notion of sending chakra down to the soles of her feet for secure adhesion. The soreness clinging to her inner thighs made it difficult for Matsuri to walk without exerting a little extra effort to give off the impression that everything was perfectly normal, but knowing _his_ watchful eyes, she had to be more vigilant to persevere. It was highly unlikely that Gaara would be familiar enough with the female anatomy to understand why she had bled from their tenderly cherished union, and the girl certainly did not want him to feel remorseful for bringing her pain beyond his control. Even in the past, when he had harmed her unintentionally on occasion, such as during a few intense training sessions, he was immediately apologetic afterward, making Matsuri quickly realize his adamant stance against hurting her under any circumstance.

Once she was out in the hallway, the taut brunette released a small sigh of relief and dropped the brave act, wincing slightly as she slowly strolled toward the bathroom at the other end, feeling chilled from the cool air surrounding her naked form. Fortunately, the distance was fairly short, and just a little while after leaving her room, Matsuri started running the water as she knelt beside the tub and watched the warm liquid come pouring out in a rushed torrent of blessed, therapeutic heat. When the water reached a high enough level, she turned the twin knobs to halt the current and gingerly submerged herself in the liquid warmth, a breathy sigh of blissful relaxation escaping her lips as the hot temperature soothed her tender muscles. Feeling very comfortable, Matsuri sat idle for a bit before she gradually began to drag the soft washcloth along various parts of her body, cleansing while keeping a mental note not to take too long to avoid raising her waiting beau's keen suspicions.

The area between her legs got less sore after a period of time, presumably absorbing the strength and effects of the warm and comforting water all around, and at this knowledge, a smile of genuine joy spread over the girl's face, mingling with her relief. She did not feel a single ounce of regret for giving herself to Gaara, even though they had just officially started their romantic relationship; intimacy was a powerful way of expressing emotional ties, after all, and it had allowed the two to share a very private bond with each other. Since she only possessed the basic information on the subject, Matsuri was curious to find out exactly how he felt about the way they had been together, although she sensed that his finishing act and quiet groans were derived from pleasure. During their embrace prior to that, the girl distinctly recalled the acute sensations of desire and yearning that had clung to her sensitive nerves when Gaara touched her, his gentle stroking and sucking that caused her body to shiver and tremble with erotic awakening.

It made Matsuri blush deeply to wonder how she would feel if he caressed her in a certain way that unraveled the tight knots tensing up her nerves… maybe the next time they were together once again, they could explore and get more familiar with each other. _But would he, um… want to be… together like __**that**__, again…?_

As the water gradually grew colder, the relaxed brunette decided to get out of the tub, and she wrapped a large, soft towel around her damp form while the liquid drained into nil, and she found that it definitely much easier to stand now than before. The girl confidently strode back to her bedroom with a smile of sincere happiness, wanting to greet Gaara in a most pleasant manner, and she returned to find him positioned next to her window, silently peering outside at the night sky instead of resting in bed. Despite the fact that a full year had passed since Shukaku was removed from the redhead, she remembered him mentioning once or twice in passing that he was still adjusting to a normal sleeping pattern, understandable given his circumstances. After quietly shutting the door behind her, Matsuri stepped forward until she was beside the young man, and she turned her head to glance toward his passive face, wondering if perhaps he did not feel tired enough to sleep at the present time.

Once her attention was on him, Gaara exhaled evenly and kept a firm control of his tone, purposely leaving out the edge of mild irritation that nevertheless tainted his words when he spoke, "Matsuri. I know what you were hiding from me."

_Wh-what…? _Alarmed by his unexpected proclamation, her dark ebony eyes widened as the girl wondered how he had managed to find out – surely he did not use his unique ability of the Third Eye to follow her into the restroom and spy on her during the bath…?

"Your… blood is on the bed sheet." He informed her lowly just then, as if he had somehow detected the question silently lingering in her mind.

Hearing that, her gaze immediately skipped over to the aforementioned area, and right there on the clean white surface, was a small spot of red… apparently, even with her efforts, she had not acted quickly enough to keep that little tidbit of information to herself. "Um… I…"

While she was sputtering up some kind of explanation to undoubtedly excuse his behavior, bless her generous heart, the sand wielder wracked his brain in trying to figure out how he had harmed Matsuri, and to such a brash point of causing an open wound. His behavior throughout the encounter had not been overly aggressive, he thought, as the way he touched her was fairly gentle, until toward the end, when he entered her body, he had felt something resembling a sort of mild barrier, and then… It suddenly clicked into place, and his pale turquoise eyes darkened with the shocking realization that the sensation of tightness he had experienced while he was deep inside of his partner… that could have been the cause of her pain, and the reason why she bled. If so, then it was completely his fault; **he** had hurt his own sweet and selfless precious person… Matsuri, who trusted him with her feelings, her loyalty, and her generous faith… but now, because of his desire, he had harmed her… he could never touch her again.

The tall redhead stood motionless, his profile rigid with tension, and the only movement he made was to tightly clench his fists at his sides, the knuckles turning white from the force as he muttered regretfully, "I'm sorry, Matsuri. I shouldn't have…"

Confusion briefly flickered over her face when he trailed off without finishing his sentence, but the reason behind his guilt suddenly dawned on the girl, and then she hastily grabbed his elbow while passionately insisting, "No, you didn't do anything wrong, Gaara. Really…!"

He flinched at her touch, and after a silent moment, turned to stare directly into her eyes with a grave expression as he raised his free hand to run his fingers along her cheek, stroking her smooth skin for a few seconds before dropping his arm back down. "You don't need to lie. I will bear responsibility for my actions."

Matsuri shook her head in firm refusal of his misguided belief, and gulped nervously as she worked up the courage to inform him in a coherent manner, "I'm not lying. Please, believe me. The, um, blood… it's supposed to happen."

…_How is that possible? _Skepticism was plastered all over his face at hearing her claim; Gaara might have been ignorant of some things, especially concerning this particular subject, but he knew full well that blood and pain went hand-in-hand, and were most certainly associated with one another.

"It's natural for girls," she continued softly, unable to hide the blush that was rapidly turning her cheeks bright pink, "I… I only bled because it was the first time… I mean, I've never been with anyone like that before you, Gaara, and that's why… there was some pain… but only a little."

His light turquoise eyes softened ever-so-slightly at her words, and though he still felt somewhat doubtful, he wanted her to know that he had complete faith in her, and so the young man took a hold of her hand, squeezing it as a gesture of mild comfort while he confirmed, "Are you sure about this? Only the first time?"

"Yes," the girl answered with a slow, solemn nod for emphasis, hoping he would be convinced by the seriousness on her face.

"…All right. I believe you." Gaara finally relented after a short period of mentally contemplating the information she had just presented with him – he had no reason not to trust Matsuri, after all – but he was certainly determined to bring her the same ecstasy that he had felt during their intimate act… someday soon. "But you won't feel pain next time, Matsuri. I will not let you bleed again."

_N-next time…?_ Her blush deepened at his promise, and she ducked her head to hide the obvious display of her bashfulness, able to offer only silence in response because she could not bring herself to _encourage_ him… that would surely be too forward and improper…

Her reaction bewildered him a bit, concern flickering over his expression as he wondered what was ailing her now; after thinking about the possibilities, he came to the most logical conclusion and inquired with a hint of anxiety, "Are you still in pain?"

"Oh, no… don't worry, it doesn't hurt anymore," she answered, offering him a small smile of assurance as she sought to sound convincing enough to be believed – there was still a slight twinge of pain lingering, but she could handle it. "Um, I just feel a little tired, that's all…"

The sand wielder nodded with understanding at her response, since fatigue suddenly settled over his body as well, putting him in a similar situation as though he was running low on chakra, albeit lacking physical strength this time instead of the spiritual energy. "We should get to sleep, then. Matsuri, would you… prefer to rest alone?"

Seeing the mild worry on his face in expectation of her answer, Matsuri giggled lightly, knowing he was trying not to look overeager or seem pushy, but he definitely wanted to stay the whole night together with her, a rather endearing thought. "No… I'd like you to be here. Can you stay with me, Gaara? Please? I promise I won't hog the blanket."

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a partial smile at hearing her sweet plea, and he wondered how she could be so kind and selfless with him, and a strange fluttering sensation flared up inside as he answered mildly, "Hm, even if you did, I wouldn't be concerned about that. And yes, I will stay with you."

Her expression brightened with elation and the girl beamed a wide grin at her beau, suddenly deciding to walk forward and embrace him on a whim, and despite his initial startled reaction, he soon slipped his arms around her small frame as well. Feeling happy to be close together, and also relieved that he was not too upset with himself to force distance between them, she sighed happily and rested her cheek against his bare chest, absorbing the warmth and comfort of his secure hold. A few minutes passed before the redhead gently reminded her that she needed to rest, and so with a nod of compliance, Matsuri allowed him to retract, and then he took a hold of her hand to guide her over to the bed they would be cozily sharing that night. Once they reached the side, she climbed in and daintily lowered herself upon the mattress until her head made a shallow indentation in the pillow, and then Gaara swiftly mirrored her action, lying down next to her, his head turned so that they were facing each other.

The young man silently gazed her way while she yawned and murmured a drowsy goodnight to him before she slowly closed her eyes, and after a short while, the rhythm of her breathing soon became a steady and serene pattern to his ears. _Good night, Matsuri._

Gaara stayed awake a bit longer even after the girl had fallen asleep, his mind bustling and occupied with many thoughts; needless to say, he was still a bit shocked that she allowed him to be so close to her, their bodies actually joining together. Despite his ignorance and self-induced uncertainty, he understood the significance of what they did, and he felt rather awestruck that Matsuri returned his feelings strongly enough to give herself to him in such a personal and intimate manner. Could it be possible that she loved him? To the present moment, the incident with his maternal uncle had left Gaara with the lasting impact of expecting rejection from others, anticipating resentment and preemptive prejudiced judgment before he even initiated any verbal or physical interaction. Still, in spite of that fear, there was no question that he held Matsuri as a dear and precious person within his own heart, although he admittedly wondered just how much he meant to her, the importance of his existence in her life.

One bitter and lonely night long ago, young Gaara had commanded his sand to viciously carve a blood-red tattoo on his forehead as a painful and permanent reminder to never allow anyone to get close to him, or to even care for another person, ever again. Six years later, his perspective on life was drastically altered after he fought Naruto Uzumaki in the Leaf Village, a boy who truly understood the agony of forced isolation and resentment from strangers, because he also had a terrifying demon in him. With the solid support of his siblings behind him, Gaara slowly began to change, and soon, he realized that he could not fully redeem himself unless he made retributions for all the chaos and senseless slaughters he had committed in the past. He tried to help his village get stronger and improve the quality of their shinobi, as he became one of the three instructors in Suna's new ninja academy, and there, he met Matsuri for the first time, a timid, polite, and soft-spoken girl that gradually opened his heart to love.

_Matsuri… thank you._ _Tonight, you made me feel… so alive. You have given my life more meaning and value. I finally understand what Yashamaru meant when he said that only love could heal the deepest wounds of the heart. He was… actually telling the truth in that instance. Because of you, Matsuri, I'm no longer in pain. My heart doesn't hurt anymore, and I am not afraid to open myself to you. From now on, my heart will serve you. I will do everything in my power to bring you the same happiness you have given me. _The contemplative redhead silently sent his message to her as a small smile of genuine affection creased his lips, and warmth inhabited his heart at the mere sight of her peaceful face, remaining tentative and somewhat guarded, but no longer unwilling to trust. There were still many things left unsaid between the two, and Gaara was determined to tell her, one day, exactly how he felt about her, all she wanted to know and even more, but for now, he had a few of his own inhibitions to work on debilitating. For her sake, he would try…

He had trained her thoroughly for the last several years, schooled the girl on all the aspects of battling that he felt she would need to survive, and yet, it was truly ironic that she, the student, had ended up teaching her own sensei to trust in one of the most important emotions of life. Loneliness… such a sickening and pain-inducing disease that infected all the vulnerable parts of a person's mental state and rendered one unable to remain stable; it was certainly a force to be reckoned with, especially when the cure was difficult to obtain. Because of Yashamaru's betrayal, the former demon vessel had believed he was too much of a freak and a destructive monster to ever receive earnest affections from anyone, and with the other villagers shunning him, it became apparent that they felt the same way as well. But they were wrong, all of them… for Gaara and his siblings shared a close bond of kinship, he had two very good friends in Konoha, and now, he and Matsuri were together… she was proof that someone deemed him worthy enough to be loved.

With that pleasant thought lingering in his mind, Gaara moved toward the slumbering brunette and leaned his forehead forward until it gently touched hers, inwardly feeling comforted by the soothing warmth of her presence pressed against his tattoo of the "love" character.

His eyes slowly drifted to a close as peace settled over his resting form, and even knowing that she would not hear him say this, he still wanted to express the words aloud, and he felt just confident enough to tell Matsuri in a low, husky voice, "I love you."

He fell asleep easily that night, admittedly looking forward to the next bright morning, and all of the other tomorrows that the two would share with each other, enjoying the company of one another, and discovering the blissful elation of being in love.

Together, they had found the end of solitude.

**The End**

**Author's Note:** Wow, this is it… I'm actually kind of sad to see this story end, but I certainly can't drag things along forever, or else things would surely get stale, heh. Oh, I had originally planned for this story to have only three parts, but uh, I guess it grew beyond my control, eh? Teehee… Err, apologies for the corniness toward the end there… albeit I fully believe that Gaara deserves to love and be loved in return, and I really hope that some of you readers feel the same way. As I am very nervous about how the mature scene turned out, I'd like to ask you all to please let me know if I did all right… Don't be afraid to tell me that I wrote something OOC for one of them – I am especially afraid of screwing up Gaara's character, and I need to know of any areas I should improve upon. I look forward to hearing comments from you, so please leave a review and let me know your thoughts on this segment!

By the way, this will most certainly not be my last GaaMatsu fic. I had way too much fun writing this story, and I fully intend on writing more, so if you readers like this couple as much as I do, be sure to keep your eye out for future GaaMatsu pieces from me…

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


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